Historical discovery in England: Keton mosaic reveals lost account of Trojan War

Archaeologists have now discovered that the Ketton mosaic shows a rare version of the climax of the Trojan War story from the long-lost play Phrygians by the famous Greek playwright Aeschylus.

Archaeologists believe that the famous Roman mosaic, which was discovered in 2020 in Rutland, England. It depicts a lost account of the legend of the Trojan War.

This stunning work, known as the Keton Mosaic, is one of England’s most amazing archaeological finds of the last hundred years. However, when archaeologists discovered it, they thought that the scenes of the Trojan War were inspired by Homer’s Iliad; The same Greek epic poem from the 8th century BC, which is the most well-known account of the Trojan War.

However, researchers have recently discovered that the Keton mosaic tells a forgotten and different version of this epic based on Aeschylus’ play; A story that was popular in ancient times but later disappeared. The discovery also reveals that Roman Britain was much more connected to the wider ancient Mediterranean world than previously thought.

Discovering an alternative narrative of the Trojan War in the Keton mosaic

Ketone mosaic was first discovered in 2020 during the Covid-19 quarantine by Jim Irvine, a local farmer, while walking through one of his fields. This discovery led to extensive excavations by the University of Leicester Archaeological Services.

Archaeologists estimated the age of the mosaic to be around 1800 years. This mosaic includes three panels that tell part of the story of the Trojan War. The first panel shows the battle of Achilles, the Greek hero, with Hector, the prince of Troy.

In the second panel, Achilles’ victory in battle is depicted; He drags Hector’s body behind his chariot while Hector’s father, King Priam, begs for forgiveness. Finally, the third panel shows the weighing of Hector’s body next to a pile of gold; The same ransom that Priam pays to Achilles in exchange for the return of Hector’s body.

At first, archaeologists thought these panels were inspired by Homer’s Iliad, but a new study published in the journal Brittania revealed that the mosaic actually depicts scenes from a Phrygian play; A different and alternative version of the legend of the Trojan War.

Although the text of this play is lost today, the ancient Romans were no strangers to this play. The wealthy owner of the Rutland Villa would no doubt enjoy having a relatively rare depiction of the Trojan War in his home.

In this account, when Priam goes to Achilles to return Hector’s body, he gives him the amount of gold equal to the weight of his son with the scales, so that the body will be released. In Homer’s version, ransom is also exchanged, but the amount of gold is not equal to the weight of the corpse.

Furthermore, the Phrygian drama may not have been the only source of the Ketone mosaic. Experts believe that the first panel may have been inspired by the design of a Greek vase from the time of Aeschylus.

Jane Masséglia, lead author of the study, explained this in a statement from the University of Leicester:

When I recognized the standard patterns in one of the panels, I realized that other parts of the mosaic were also inspired by designs found on silverware, coins, and very ancient Greek, Turkish, and flower pottery.

The link between Roman Britain and the ancient Mediterranean

Aeschylus’ play made this alternative version of the Trojan War popular throughout the Greek world. Moreover, the use of images from this play and designs from other Mediterranean countries show that a diverse mix of classical culture had reached even the most remote parts of Roman Britain.

Jane Masaglia explained:

Romano-British artists were not isolated from the rest of the ancient world and were part of a wider network that passed down their design patterns from generation to generation.

He added:

In Keton we are faced with the craftsmanship of Roman Britain, but at the same time we see the heritage of Mediterranean design.

The mosaic panels that once covered the dining room floor of the Rutland Villa were inspired by art and legends from across the Mediterranean. As Jim Irvine put it:

New research reveals a level of cultural integration in the Roman world that we are only beginning to understand.

Currently, excavations are ongoing at the Keton Mosaic site. Rachel Cubitt, post-exploration co-ordinator, said:

This further new research adds to other projects at the site and provides a more detailed picture of the interests and influences of the people living in Roman Britain at the time.