Archaeologists have discovered a marble floor in one of the corners of ancient Rome buried deep inside the sea. The multicoloured floor is situated in Baiae, a city that lies underwater. This city is popularly known as the “Las Vegas” of ancient Rome since Baiae, located on the shore of the Gulf of Pozzuoli, was the place the elite of ancient Rome came to for fun and frolic. This region now comes under southern Italy. Pictures of the marble floor were posted by the Archaeological Park of the Phlegraean Fields on its Facebook page.
The floor is a kind of mosaic work known as “opus sectile”, which comprises the use of marble, pearl and glass. The materials used for this floor were cut and inlaid to form images or patterns. This floor in Baiae supposedly was once part of a reception room of a Roman villa in the city, according to the archaeological park.
This place was frequented by the high and mighty for not just its natural beauty but also because it was like a pleasure den. They built massive and luxurious villas in Baiae and spent time here in pursuit of all kinds of pleasures, including sensual self-indulgence. Julius Caesar, Nero, and Hadrian were among those who built villas here and enjoyed themselves.
Baiae, the city of ‘vice’ and ‘hedonism’
However, not everyone liked Baiae and slammed it for being a place of “vice”. In 56 BC, a socialite named Clodia was condemned for living as a harlot in Rome and for indulging in beach parties and long drinking sessions. Sextus Propertius described it as a “den of licentiousness and vice”. Seneca the Younger, a Roman stoic philosopher, called it a “harbour of vice” and a place that should be avoided.
The Gulf of Pozzuoli lies in the caldera of a super-volcano, and the lower parts of Baiae are submerged gradually due to volcanic activity. This underwater area is now part of a vast underwater archaeological park. It is a protected area with beautiful statues, villas and Roman mosaics, among other remains.
The pieces used to create opus sectile works are much larger and were used for large parts of the design. The work is currently undergoing restoration and extends across an area of roughly 2,700 square feet.