Arts & Entertainment

Secrets of luxurious ancient Rome discovered under block of flats

Rome, Oct 6 (efe-epa).- Rome on Tuesday inaugurated a “unique” archeological site located within the courtyard of a residential building that will allow locals to discover new things about how their counterparts in ancient Rome lived.

The remains are of a luxury ancient villa which were found underneath a block of flat on Aventine Hill, one of the seven hills that ancient Rome was built on.

The project is the result of six years of excavations and research.

The Superintendent of Culture of Rome said in a statement that this new archaeological tour is “unique” because it is the first site located within a private residential community that will be open to the public.

In 2014, “very significant” discoveries were made during aseismic maintenance work on the building that had been bought by a bank.

During the excavations, elaborate mosaics, ancient artefacts and all kinds of other materials were found dating from the 8th century BC to the 3rd AD.

Among the most notable findings is the first known mosaic of the Aventine, a hill that was highly coveted by ancient Romans for its strategic position and its water resources.

The dig has also revealed a luxurious residence that sheds light on the evolution of ancient Rome from the late republican until the imperial era, which starts with Augustus in 27 BC.

A stone wall that could have belonged to a military fort or settlement has also been discovered at the site. The structure is thought to be the foundation of a kind of defensive watchtower that was built around the 6th century BC.

A multimedia tour with image projections will bring the era to life for visitors when the site, which has been named “La scatola archeologica della Domus Aventino” (The archaeological box of the Domus del Aventino) fully opens to the public.

The superintendent of Culture of the city, Daniela Porro, has celebrated the inauguration of this “archaeological jewel”, calling it “innovative and virtuous”. EFE-EPA

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