Students of one of Rome's high schools helped make an unusual archaeological discovery. Beneath the gymnasium of the school, a well-preserved Roman villa from the 2nd century AD was found, and scientists not only explored the ancient chambers with frescoes but also managed to identify the names of their owners who lived here almost 1800 years ago.
For many years, rumors circulated among the students of one of Rome's high schools about mysterious underground chambers beneath the school building. As it turned out, these stories were not mere fabrications. Beneath the gymnasium of the educational institution, archaeologists discovered an ancient Roman villa approximately 1800 years old, known as a domus.
This refers to the urban residence of wealthy Romans from the 2nd century AD. The villa is located just a few steps from the Colosseum. Excavations at this site began earlier this year, and last week, the discovered chambers were presented to the public for the first time, reports NOS.
According to Italian archaeologists, the monument is located in an area where notable historical figures such as Augustus, Cicero, and Pompey once lived. Despite this, this part of ancient Rome remains relatively unexplored. Many archaeological sites have been lost or severely damaged due to subsequent urban development built over the ancient layers.
Accidental Discovery
The existence of the underground chambers became known thanks to the students themselves. History and Latin teacher at the Camillo Cavour high school, Claudia Marino, recounted that she first heard about this legend about ten years ago from one of her students, but at that time, she did not give much importance to his words.
The situation changed six years ago. During one of the student protests, when the students occupied the school building, they informed the teachers that there was indeed something unusual beneath the school.
Together with her colleagues, Claudia Marino decided to verify this information. Upon descending into the basement, they discovered an iron door.
"We found a key and opened it. Behind the door was an old boiler room. Then we saw ancient Roman walls and a narrow passage that we had to literally squeeze through. That’s how we ended up inside the villa," the teacher recalls.
Almost Untouched Frescoes
According to the school administration, the walls of the ancient villa are adorned with frescoes that have remained almost in their original condition. At the same time, modern graffiti was found in some areas, indicating that certain individuals were aware of the existence of these chambers long before the official discovery.
Even more valuable is the fact that archaeologists managed to identify the owners of the villa.
During excavations conducted here in the 19th century, a lead water pipe was found with the names of the house's owners. According to specialists, they belonged to the Samnite family of the Umbriae. The Samnites came from the Pompeii area and long resisted the expansion of Roman power.
Research Will Continue
To date, archaeologists have only excavated a portion of the ancient residence. In the near future, further research of the area beneath the high school is planned, as specialists do not rule out the possibility that other chambers of the complex may be hidden beneath the building.
The school, in collaboration with archaeologists, intends to make this unique underground monument accessible to visitors. It is expected that after the necessary work is completed, tours will be organized for the public, conducted by the students of the high school, who were responsible for this unusual discovery.
