A new AI system, Aeneas, promises to significantly accelerate the study of ancient Roman inscriptions. Developed by Dr. Thea Sommerschield of Nottingham University and Dr. Yannis Assael of Google DeepMind, Aeneas analyzes a database of 176,000 Roman inscriptions to identify relevant parallels and assist historians in dating and geographically placing incomplete texts. The system automates a process that traditionally takes months or years, allowing historians to work faster and potentially uncover previously unidentified connections.

Professor Dame Mary Beard of Cambridge University called the technology "transformative," highlighting its potential to move beyond the reliance on individual scholars' memory and subjective judgment. Tests involving 23 historians showed that using Aeneas resulted in more accurate results than either the AI alone or the historians working independently. While acknowledging potential for errors, the researchers emphasize Aeneas as a tool to assist, not replace, human expertise.

Impact Statement: Aeneas has the potential to dramatically accelerate research and lead to new discoveries in the field of Roman history by automating the analysis of ancient inscriptions and identifying previously overlooked connections between texts.