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A luxurious domus dating to the late Republican period has been discovered in Rome in the area between the Palatine Hill and the Roman Forum.
The site, which has been named the Domus del Vicus Tuscus, was first discovered in 2018 and subsequently excavated by the Parco archeologico del Colosseo. The archaeologists determined that the house had several floors, which were probably built on terraces, and was constructed over at least three phases between the second half of the 2nd century BC and the end of the 1st century BC.
The most remarkable feature of the residence is the specus aestivus, a large, vaulted room surrounding the atrium, designed to resemble a grotto – complete with water features fed by lead pipes running through the walls – which would have been used for dining and entertaining in the summer months. In this room, archaeologists unearthed a wall covered with a spectacular ‘rustic’ mosaic, made of various types of shells, Egyptian blue tesserae, tiny flakes of white marble and other stones, and pozzolana pebbles.
In the mosaic’s four aediculae are images of stacks of weapons and Celtic-style trumpets (carnyx), ships’ bows and tridents, and the helms of triremes (oar-powered warships), perhaps alluding to a double victory, both terrestrial and naval, by the owner of the domus. In a lunette above this, a landscape scene is depicted, featuring a walled, towered city on a clifftop facing the sea, on which three large ships, one with unfurled sails, can be seen advancing. The other side shows a pastoral scene. This extraordinary mosaic, which has been dated to the last decades of the 2nd century BC, is currently unparalleled in complexity and date. In another reception room, restoration work has also revealed stucco paintings of the highest quality. These depict landscapes and architectural features.
The lavishly decorated Domus del Vicus Tuscus reflects the controversial trend towards ostentatious displays of private luxury that became increasingly common among upper-class Romans in the Late Republican period. Archaeological work is being completed in the area, after which efforts will begin to make the site accessible to the public as soon as possible.
Text: Amy Brunskill / Image: Archivio Parco archeologico del Colosseo, Simona Murrone
