In January 2021, students at a high school across the street from the Colosseum in Rome stumbled upon something no one had expected to find: an ancient Roman villa hidden beneath their school.
The discovery began when a group of teenagers spent several nights exploring the school building after hours. When they left, they told Claudia Marino, a history and Latin teacher, that they had come across something significant. Marino and her colleagues followed the students' directions to a locked door in the basement.
"We found the key, entered, and we were in an old, disused boiler room," Marino tells the London Times. "Beyond that were ancient Roman walls." When they climbed through an opening, they found themselves in an ancient villa adorned with frescoes and decorative stucco.
Marino brought the discovery to the attention of the Special Superintendency of Rome, a government agency tasked with preserving the city's cultural heritage. Excavations at the site began in September 2025, and archaeologists presented their findings to the public on May 28.
The domus, or private dwelling, dates to the mid-second century C.E. — the era of legendary Roman emperors including Hadrian and Marcus Aurelius. Excavations conducted in 1895, ahead of the opening of a new road, had uncovered a section of the villa. But in the decades that followed, the site was forgotten.
When archaeologists surveyed the site, they were surprised to find that the villa's rooms — almost all of which are underground — were incredibly well preserved. One room features a mosaic crafted with large tiles of varying shapes, a style that was popular at the time. Another space is decorated with floral designs and depictions of human figures.
The area where the villa was found has its own rich history. Located between the Carinae and the Esquiline Hill in central Rome, the neighborhood once housed estates owned by Cicero, Pompey and Octavian — three central figures in the late Roman Republic. Although written records of this residential area survive today, archaeologists have found little physical evidence of it, as modern construction has damaged the ancient structures.
Researchers have recovered enough artifacts from the villa to fill 48 crates. Finds include an amphora — a vessel used to store olive oil, wine and other goods — and drinking cups that date to later periods in Roman history.
Workers who constructed the school building in the late 19th century apparently did not notice the villa. But archaeologists who excavated the site a decade or two later identified inscriptions on lead water pipes that revealed the names of two of the house's onetime occupants: L. Fabius Gallus and Umbria Albina.
The students who found a way into the ruins weren't the first amateur explorers to rediscover the site. Some of the graffiti on the walls dates to between 1920 and 1950, when the building was occupied by a religious order. Other markings are more recent, perhaps left by students at the high school. As Marino recalls, students have long speculated that ancient structures were hidden beneath the school: "Ten years ago, a student told me the story, but I didn't give it much thought."
The 2025 – 26 excavation only unearthed part of the villa. Experts believe the rest of the structure is much larger, but further investigation will require additional funding. Ultimately, archaeologists hope to open the site to students and tourists alike, making this hidden piece of history available for public enjoyment.