In a cave near the Dead Sea, Israeli researchers recently found a narrow fissure that concealed a Roman spear and four swords, dating to the 1st or 2nd century CE. They are thought to have been used during the Bar Kokhba revolt against Rome, which lasted from 132 to 135 CE. Melanie Lidman explains their significance:
“We’re talking about an extremely rare find, the likes of which have never been found in Israel,” Eitan Klein, one of the directors of the Israel Antiquities Authority’s Judean Desert Survey, said. . . . “Four swords amazingly preserved, including the fine condition of the metal, the handles, and the scabbards.”
Three of the swords are Roman spatha swords, with blades 60 to 65 centimeters (23.5 to 25.5 inches) long. The fourth weapon, a ring-pommel sword, is shorter, with a 45-centimeter (18-inch) blade. The swords likely belonged to Roman soldiers and were stolen by Judean rebels who hid them in a cave either for later use or to avoid being caught with them.
Following the discovery of the swords, archaeologists carried out an extensive excavation of the cave, discovering artifacts from the Chalcolithic period (around 6,000 years ago) and the Roman period (around 2,000 years ago). At the entrance to the cave, researchers found a Bar Kokhba bronze coin from the time of the revolt that could help pinpoint the dates when the weapons were hidden.
Read more on Times of Israel: https://www.timesofisrael.com/four-1900-year-old-roman-swords-discovered-hidden-in-desert-cave/