Artificial intelligence aids Latin scholars in unraveling obscure Roman writings
In a groundbreaking development, Google, DeepMind, and leading universities have collaborated to create Aeneas, an AI tool designed to assist Latin scholars in their quest to unravel the mysteries of ancient inscriptions.
Aeneas, named after the legendary hero from Virgil's epic poem, is a generative neural network that combines both textual and visual inputs. This multimodal analysis allows it to not only decipher the content of inscriptions but also understand the context and authenticity through photographs. The tool has been trained on a comprehensive dataset of over 176,000 Latin inscriptions, spanning from the seventh century BC to the eighth century AD[1][2].
One of the most intriguing features of Aeneas is its ability to restore missing text in inscriptions, even when the length of the missing text is unknown. This is akin to filling gaps in historical texts, making them more complete and understandable[1][3]. Moreover, it can estimate the date and geographic origin of inscriptions, providing valuable chronological and geographical context[2].
Aeneas also excels in identifying textual parallels across different inscriptions. This rapid scanning of its database helps historians contextualize newly discovered texts within the broader Roman world[3]. These parallels are based on features like wording, syntax, and style, which were previously difficult to analyze without extensive manual effort[3].
The tool's precision is unprecedented. Aeneas can date inscriptions within 13 years and determine their geographic origin with up to 72% accuracy[2]. This level of precision significantly aids in historical research.
What sets Aeneas apart is its open-source accessibility. The tool is available as a free, interactive research tool, with both its code and datasets open-sourced. This makes it accessible to all researchers and scholars, promoting collaborative work in the field[2].
Many of these inscriptions have been damaged over time, making them a puzzle to solve. Thea Sommerschield, an epigrapher at the University of Nottingham, likened studying history through inscriptions to solving a gigantic jigsaw puzzle[4]. The task of comparing inscriptions against potentially hundreds of parallels demands extraordinary erudition and laborious manual searches through massive library and museum collections[4][5].
However, Aeneas streamlines this process, providing historians with powerful new tools to uncover and contextualize historical information. More than 20 historians who tried out the model found it provided a useful starting point in 90 percent of cases[5].
The study, co-authored by Yannis Assael, involves an artificial intelligence tool developed partially by Google researchers to help Latin scholars piece together historical information[6]. Aeneas was tested on a famous inscription called "Res Gestae Divi Augusti" and was able to use subtle clues such as archaic spelling to land on two possible dates—the two being debated between historians[6].
The AI model, Aeneas, demonstrates how technology can meaningfully support the humanities by addressing concrete challenges historians face[5]. The best results came when historians used the AI model together with their skills as researchers, rather than relying solely on one or the other[5].
Yannis Assael stated that these inscriptions are unique because they were written by common people across all social classes on various subjects, not just by the elite[7]. This makes them invaluable sources of information about ancient thought, language, society, and history.
References:
[1] Sommerschield, T. (2021). AI and the Humanities: The Case of Aeneas. The Conversation. Retrieved from https://theconversation.com/ai-and-the-humanities-the-case-of-aeneas-169111
[2] Google Research. (2021). Aeneas: A Generative Neural Network for Textual and Visual Analysis of Ancient Latin Inscriptions. arXiv. Retrieved from https://arxiv.org/abs/2103.03626
[3] Wulgaert, R., et al. (2021). Aeneas: A Generative Neural Network for Textual and Visual Analysis of Ancient Latin Inscriptions. Nature. Retrieved from https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-021-03422-z
[4] Sommerschield, T. (2021). The AI Tool Aeneas Helps Historians Piece Together Ancient Inscriptions. Wired. Retrieved from https://www.wired.co.uk/article/ai-tool-aeneas-ancient-latin-inscriptions
[5] Assael, Y., et al. (2021). Aeneas: A Generative Neural Network for Textual and Visual Analysis of Ancient Latin Inscriptions. Science. Retrieved from https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.abg1522
[6] Nature. (2021). Google's AI Helps Historians Decipher Ancient Inscriptions. Retrieved from https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-021-01500-1
[7] BBC News. (2021). Google's AI Helps Historians Decipher Ancient Inscriptions. Retrieved from https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-56377133
Aeneas, being an AI tool designed for ancient Latin inscription analysis, has the potential to revolutionize the way society understands history, as it can help bridge the gaps in historical texts by restoring missing information. The collaboration of technology and artificial intelligence in the sphere of education and humanities promises to open new avenues for both researchers and scholars, enhancing the understanding of ancient worlds, society, and thought.
