In 1864, a discovery captivated historians and art enthusiasts worldwide. Beneath the Palazzo Pio Righetti—a grand 15th-century palace — workers stumbled upon something astonishing: a huge bronze finger. Driven by curiosity, excavators dug deeper. And there, lying on its side in a shallow ditch, was the source—a colossal gilded bronze statue. But the statue wasn’t whole. Its feet were shattered, the back of its head was missing, and its genitals had been destroyed. Yet, despite the damage, the identity of this fallen figure soon became clear: It was Hercules—the mightiest of Greek heroes. But the statue had not yet given up all its secrets. As archaeologists studied it further, they made another discovery. The statue had been struck by lightning—repeatedly—since the 2nd century BC. #roman #history #ancientdiscoveries