Autopsying a Roman Catacomb
Did a lethal plague kill thousands in ancient Rome? Centuries-old DNA may hold the answer.
Beneath the streets of Rome, a burial chamber more than 1800 years old is filled with skeletons. It's called the "X Tombs," and one question whispers amongst the catacombs: how did these people die? Now, by extracting ancient DNA from the skeletal teeth, scientists are determining whether the answer was plague.