"Caligula" seized in police raid

BBC Radio 4's Today programme had a brief (but excited) mention of the seizure of a Roman statue near Lake Nemi in Italy. This featured in a review of The Guardian: "Caligula's tomb found after police arrest man trying to smuggle statue", January 18, 2011.

Officers from the archaeological squad of Italy's tax police had a break last week after arresting a man near Lake Nemi, south of Rome, as he loaded part of a 2.5 metre statue into a lorry. ... The police said the statue was shod with a pair of the "caligae" military boots favoured by the emperor ... The statue is estimated to be worth €1m. Its rare Greek marble, throne and god's robes convinced the police it came from the emperor's tomb. Under questioning, the tomb raider led them to the site, where excavations will start today.

This is a reminder that there continues to be a demand for freshly surfaced antiquities from Italy.