A long-forgotten marble slab

 A long-forgotten marble slab reveals a new piece of ancient history.

According to The Independent, historians in the UK have finally deciphered the meaning behind a 2,000-year-old inscription from Ancient Greece—a discovery that brings a fresh glimpse into the lives of young Athenians under Roman rule.

The marble plaque, which had been stored untouched in the collection of National Museums Scotland for over 130 years, had remained unread until now. Speaking to NPR, Professor Peter Liddel of the University of Manchester—also a member of the editorial board of the Attic Inscriptions Online project, which published the new translation on May 31—emphasized the importance of the find:

“This is one of the very few ancient inscriptions in Scotland, and one of just three from ancient Athens housed in Edinburgh. That alone makes it a thrilling discovery.”

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