In 2016, archaeologists digging at the Phaleron cemetery on the coast near Athens uncovered one of the most unsettling finds in Greek archaeology, a mass grave holding nearly 80 adult men, many still shackled at the wrists with iron restraints. The men, known as the Esplanada group, had been laid out in orderly rows and appeared to have died violently, sparking a decade of debate over who they were.

Archaeologists uncover the Esplanada mass grave in Greece, revealing shocking insights about executed locals and organized violence preceding democracy.

The 2,600-year-old burial dates back to a time period when Athens was grappling with the beginnings of its democracy.