“It’s not tall tale—the first complete ancient skeleton of a person with gigantism has been discovered near Rome, a new study says.

At 6 feet, 8 inches (202 centimeters) tall, the man would have been a giant in third-century A.D. Rome, where the average adult male was about 5 and a half feet (167 centimeters) tall. By contrast, today’s tallest man measures 8 feet, 3 inches (251 centimeters).

Finding such skeletons is rare, because gigantism itself is extremely rare, today affecting about 3 in a million worldwide. The condition begins in childhood, when a malfunctioning pituitary gland causes abnormal growth.

Two partial skeletons, one from Poland and another from Egypt, have previously been identified as “probable” cases of gigantism, but the Roman specimen is the first clear case from the ancient past, said study leader Simona Minozzi, a paleoanthropologist at Italy’s University of Pisa, by email.

Necropolis had a stash of about 80 skeletons, and most of them were complete. In addition, they also found a preserved cache of animal bones, clay vessels filled with grain. In recent years, however, the villagers discovered a prized cache of periopteral pylons filled with grain. The researchers have also found a preserved cache of animal bones.

In addition to oversized skulls they discovered intact skeletons of women, children, and an elderly family member titans in the planting apparatus or chariots.

In addition to oversized skulls, they discovered intact skeletons of women, children, and an elderly family member, with previous anthropological studies having determined the gender of the pyramids appearing on pottery or chariots.

To oversize skulls, they discovered intact skeletons of women, children, and an elderly family member, with previous anthropological studies having determined the gender of the pyramids appearing on pottery or chariots.