Roman road unearthed in Israel

[Imperial Dave]

http://www.livescience.com/58167-roman-road-unearthed-in-israel.html

Not earth shattering but interesting if only for the coins found 'in the cracks'

[Patrick Waterson]

All of which form a cluster up to the First Jewish Revolt (AD 66-70, or 73 if you count Masada) with a single addition thereafter from the Omayyad Caliphate.

Which leads us to wonder: was the road not in use between AD 67 and AD 660-ish, or did people look after their money more carefully in that period?

Personally, I would be inclined to attribute the spilled coins to instances of banditry, rife in early-mid 1st century Judaea but pretty much stamped on thereafter.

[Imperial Dave]

interestingly if not unsurprisingly it therefore means the road was in use for at least half a millenia

[Jim Webster]

must admit that the first thing that struck me when reading the article was that the  majority of the coin finds were earlier than the road.

[Nick Harbud]

interestingly if not unsurprisingly it therefore means the road was in use for at least half a millenia

Beats most modern road bridges then.... 

[Imperial Dave]

interestingly if not unsurprisingly it therefore means the road was in use for at least half a millenia

Beats most modern road bridges then.... 

yep, just ask the people of Tadcaster that one ;-)

Interesting to see just how long the road was in use until it 'disappeared' and how much maintenance was required up until that point

[Patrick Waterson]

must admit that the first thing that struck me when reading the article was that the  majority of the coin finds were earlier than the road.

Good point, Jim.  75% of the coins found were pre-AD 70; the road was constructed c. AD 130, presumably along a previously-existing route.