In the 1st century BC, a Roman force advanced into Switzerland from Italy. We cannot yet be sure whether these soldiers were tasked with conquest, or mounting a punitive expedition to cow the inhabitants of the Alps. But we do know that members of this force were drawn from three different legions, and that they were making for a key Alpine pass. Ahead of them lay at least one battle. Over the last two decades, a remarkable range of finds associated with this incursion has been identified. In our cover feature, we follow in the footsteps of these legions.

It is settlements that are being sought on the Yucatán Peninsula, Mexico. While this region is renowned for the Maya city-states that once flourished there, significant gaps exist in the archaeological map of the region. One conspicuous example is a remote area of some 3,000km², where until recently no ancient sites were known at all. Skilfully targeted survey by air and ground has answered the question of whether urban centres lay concealed beneath the jungle.   

Former execution sites have been under examination in Sweden. Although surviving historic documents set out rules for administering the death penalty, excavation has shown that these were not always followed. Instead, the results reveal the gritty realities of crime and capital punishment over several centuries in the country.

Different perspectives of a more literal kind can be found among archive images. While collections of physical photographic formats are at risk of being judged obsolete and junked in the digital era, a project seeking to preserve the images they hold illustrates how much can be gained from seeing the past in the past.  

Finally, in our travel section, Richard Hodges explores an extraordinary Renaissance garden filled with fabulous sculptures at Bomarzo, Italy. More remarkable examples of rock carving, this time stretching back to ancient times, help tell the story of the surrounding countryside.