Archaeologists in Spain have uncovered ancient Roman settlements that could be the site of a ‘hidden empire.’

The team hoped to uncover at least one settlement in the Sierra de Cádiz region of Spain when they started the project in 2023 but were shocked to find 57 Roman Empire-era sites of an ‘unprecedented nature.’

The researchers believe these newly discovered settlements could all be connected based on trade and communication routes in the region.

They are currently conducting a second phase of research to better understand how the sites are linked, marking the first time ancient Roman settlements in the area have been extensively analyzed.

Researchers from the University of Cádiz in Spain focused on settlements in the areas surrounding Arcos de la Frontera, Bornos, Villamartin and Puerto Serrano which would have all been interconnected by the Guadalete River, leading them to believe that they were part of a hidden empire.

The team said they used geo radar – a tool that sends radar pulses underground to detect any hidden objects.

They used geo radar technology to locate the wall structures from ancient residences that weren’t visible from the surface.

In May, Macarena Lara and her team started excavating the Roman villa of El Canuelo in Bornos with the hope of uncover the region’s archaeological heritage.

The researchers discovered that the villa had walls separating the residential and work areas while they were trying to understand how and when the middle valley of the Guadalete was settled.

They were also able to investigate other sites for the first time since they were discovered in the 1980s and 1990s using multispectral cameras that capture image and colors that aren’t typically visible to the naked eye.

The researchers used geo radar technology to locate the wall structures from ancient residences that weren’t visible from the surface

The Romans settled the Guadalete River after they conquered Spain in 264 BC, but the researchers have not yet confirmed when the newly discovered structures were built

The researchers said these findings could help them develop a better understanding of the Roman Empire’s presence in the Guadalete River’s valley more than 2,000 years ago.

‘The objective is to know the interaction of the Bay of Cadiz with the settlement of the Guadalete River depression during the Roman period, an aspect practically unknown until now,’ the researchers said in their report.

The Romans settled the Guadalete River after they conquered Spain in 264 BC, but the researchers have not yet confirmed when the newly discovered structures were built.

‘The data we have has allowed us to generate a solid base of archaeological information and documentation to continue with research in the coming years in this environment,’ Lara, a professor of Archaeology at the University of Cádiz said in a statement.

‘Our main objective is to continue carrying out excavations and surveys with non-traditional techniques and tools that will be completed with the study of the contexts found, as well as analyze techniques on the documented materials that will allow us to obtain a holistic vision of the Roman settlement and the territory in the area around the Bornos and Arcos de la Frontera reservoirs.’