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Archaeological discoveries at Rome's Baths of Trajan

Overview

Following a 14-year restoration project, archaeologists in Rome have officially unveiled two major ancient artworks discovered beneath the Baths of Trajan on the Colle Oppio. The finds include the ‘Painted City’ fresco, a 10-square-meter aerial depiction of a fortified maritime city, and a monumental wall mosaic known as the ‘Great Mosaic’.

The ‘Great Mosaic’ measures 10 meters high and 16 meters long, making it the largest mural mosaic ever discovered from the Roman world. It depicts a complex architectural scene featuring columns, statues, and human figures, including intricate depictions of centaurs, poets, and muses. Experts are currently investigating whether this work was part of Emperor Nero’s Domus Aurea or belonged to a separate private residence that was later incorporated into the complex, which Emperor Trajan transformed into public baths in 109 AD.

The ‘Painted City’ fresco provides a bird’s-eye view of a walled port city with towers and public squares, retaining visible blue and terracotta tones. Researchers suggest this scene could represent a real location, such as Ostia, or an imaginary setting.

The Museum of the Baths of Trajan has now officially opened in an underground gallery on the Oppian Hill to showcase these finds. While the monumental mosaic is estimated to stand between 12 and 15 meters high, only about 20% of the work has been recovered, suggesting the composition may extend beyond currently visible sections. In addition to the mosaic and fresco, the museum displays other artifacts, including eight large lead pipes cast with ‘THERM TRAIANI’.

Entities

Rome · Francesco Pacetti · Trajan's Baths · Roberto Gualtieri · Nero

Timeline

  1. [CULTURE] 3 sources
    Rome opens museum featuring largest surviving Roman wall mosaic

    Rome's new Museum of the Baths of Trajan has opened, featuring the world's largest surviving Roman wall mosaic, depicting intricate architectural scenes and classical figures.

  2. [CULTURE] 2 sources
    Rome archaeologists reveal largest Roman wall mosaic ever found

    Archaeologists in Rome have revealed the ‘Great Mosaic’, a massive 10x16 meter Roman wall mosaic discovered in the underground galleries of Trajan's Baths.

  3. [CULTURE] 9 sources
    Rome unveils largest ancient Roman mural mosaic and 2,000-year-old fresco

    Rome has unveiled the ‘Great Mosaic’, the largest of its kind from antiquity, alongside a 2,000-year-old ‘Painted City’ fresco discovered near the Colosseum.

  4. [CULTURE] 29 sources
    Rome unveils massive ancient fresco and mosaic at Baths of Trajan

    Rome has unveiled the “Painted City” fresco and the “Great Mosaic,” two massive 1st-century AD artworks discovered beneath the Baths of Trajan, now opening to visitors in controlled groups.

Sources

20minutos.com.mx · 24-ore.com · 2news.com · abc17news.com · abceconomia.co · apach57.fr · archaeology.wiki · aventurasnahistoria.uol.com.br · beta.rs · ca.sports.yahoo.com · e-radio.gr · europesays.com · exame.com · fehmarn24.de · fr.euronews.com · g4media.ro · iefimerida.gr · krdo.com · lat.sputnikportal.rs · mediafax.ro · merkur-online.de · mymodernmet.com · n1info.rs · napolike.it · nedeljnik.rs · nextme.it · niezalezna.pl · notizie.it · onetz.de · op-online.de · pelop.gr · perthnow.com.au · pt.euronews.com · radioroma.it · rador.ro · roma-events.it · siviaggia.it · stirileprotv.ro · stiripesurse.ro · sveoarheologiji.com · tr.euronews.com · umbriaecultura.it · usaartnews.com · viagemegastronomia.com.br

This summary has been updated 3 times: see revision history