Tokyo Univ. team may have unearthed 1st Roman emperor's bathhouse

The Mainichi

2 days ago

TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Researchers from the University of Tokyo have unearthed what may be an ancient villa they believe belonged to the first Roman emperor, Augustus.
What appear to be five large furnaces -- presumed to have served as boilers to heat an enormous bath -- were discovered in the ruins of an ancient Roman building in southern Italy, drawing keen interest from the archaeological community due to it being an exceptionally rare find.
The researchers point out that Augustus, who boasted immense power as the founder of the Roman Empire, may have used the building as a guesthouse featuring a luxurious public bathhouse, or thermae, for entertaining influential people.
The 3,650-square-meter ruins were buried beneath volcanic ash at the Somma Vesuviana site located at the northern foot of Mount Vesuvius, the volcano that erupted in 79 AD and destroyed the ancient city of Pompeii.
The research team headed by Mariko Muramatsu, professor of Italian studies at the university, began an archaeological survey in 2002.
Since 2019, the team has excavated to about 15 meters below the surface, where they discovered the remains of five circular furnaces -- each about 1.4 meters in width -- lying in a row in a stratum dated to earlier than the mid-first century.
The ruins are in an area once ruled by the Augustus family. Researchers say the discovery may strengthen the case that the villa belonged to Augustus, despite the lack of conclusive evidence.
"There has never been a case where five large furnaces have been excavated from an Italian site. It makes sense as an explanation that no one else but the emperor could make such a magnificent feat possible," said Muramatsu.
Through a process of elimination based on the size and design of the furnaces, it was ruled out that they had been used for cooking, firing earthenware or for heating rooms -- leaving a bathhouse as the remaining working theory.
"The furnaces are the same shape as water heaters. It is almost certain that they were used to heat a large amount of water for a huge bath facility," said Masanori Aoyagi, former commissioner of the Agency for Cultural Affairs and professor emeritus at the University of Tokyo, who served as the first project head of the research team.
Another piece of evidence supporting the team's theories is the fact that the site is located more than 200 kilometers from Rome.
As the successor to the assassinated Julius Caesar, Augustus quelled a civil war and gained immense power, but the citizens of Rome were wary of him becoming a dictator.
Aoyagi believes "Augustus built a guesthouse with a huge bath beyond Roman citizens' scrutiny in a bid to show his greatness to aristocrats and military officers and have them feel the Pax Romana (Roman peace) in the bath."
In ancient Rome, thermae served as centers for interacting across social status, and the remains of huge bathhouses built by later emperors, such as Caracalla, can still be seen in the city. The remains of the five furnaces may soon be ranked equally with past thermae discoveries, Muramatsu suggested.
The research team has already begun excavations on the south side of the furnace remains, and if the thermae theory holds water, they should find the remnants of a luxurious bathing pool in the vicinity of the furnaces.
Mari Yamazaki, known for her award-winning manga series "Thermae Romae" about ancient Rome, said, "If the first emperor's villa had a luxurious bathhouse, it may have served as a reference in the design of bathhouses in later generations."
She added, "I hope that the exciting discovery of bath cultures that connect ancient and modern times will continue."
The University of Tokyo is soliciting donations for the continuation of the archaeological dig.