Incredible Mosaic Found in Luxurious Roman Home Near Colosseum

Archaeologists have found a luxurious Roman home boasting of an incredible mosaic. The house was found situated close to the famous Roman Colosseum.

Domus Structure

The luxurious Roman home, or domus, dates back to between the end of B.C. 100 to the second half of B.C. 200. Gennara Sangiuliano, the culture minister, describes it as an authentic treasure.

The discovery came after archaeologists found various walls back in 2018. The domus is spread across different floors. At present, only some rooms have been excavated. The dig is set to go on in 2024.

The main room of the structure is set around an atrium and is a banquet hall with a grotto style. The ministry notes that it was used during the months of summer.

The owner of the place was a nobleman that could have been a senator. He may have entertained guests with some water games, as evidenced by the pipes in between the intricate walls.

Archaeologists also discovered some extremely high-quality stucco in the reception room that adjoins it.

The domus is a clear example of luxury in the early times. It speaks of rank and wealth through lifestyle and villas. It also supports old sources that detail the residences of families of Roman senators in Palatine's northwestern areas.

Incredible Mosaic in Luxurious Roman Home

However, what made the finding remarkably exceptional is the presence of the wall that was covered with a rustic mosaic. This mosaic was found to be unparalleled when it came to scene complexity and chronology.

The ministry explains that an intricate scene sequence is depicted through different precious glass, shell types, white marble flakes, Egyptian blue tesserae, and other stone types.

In the mosaic, three massive ships are observed to ride waves to a coastal city with walls dotted with porticoes and small towers. The depiction suggests that the owner may have boasted of battle victories in the past.

Among the lotus leaves and vines, weapon piles with Celtic-type warships, trumpets, and tridents were there. These possibly alluded to both naval and terrestrial triumphs that the domus owner had.

A coastal city's representation was also included. This depiction could depict the owner's warlike conquest. The ministry notes that the owners could have been part of an aristocratic personage and that he may have had the rank of a senator.

Alfonsina Russo, who heads the Colosseum Archaeological Park, explains that they will extensively work to make the area publicly accessible as soon as they can.

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