I admit this is a very niche and probably uninteresting question but I can't find an answer anywhere.
His sarcophagus is the oldest we have from the Roman world, removed from the Sepulchre of the Scipios(Scipii?) and held in the Vatican. I assume it must have been opened or other wise examined in some manner. Does anybody know? Thanks
The plural nominative of Scipio is Scipiones, or in English more usually Scipios. "Scipii" would be the plural nominative of someone named Scipius, which is neither a word nor a name.
The sarcophagus is now empty, yes. Barbatus' skeleton was discovered intact and was reinterred by the Venetian Angelo Querini at his estate near Padua.