Hidden beneath the remnants of a later villa, archaeologists have unearthed the ruins of an earlier Roman villa near Mount Vesuvius. This site may have been the final residence of Augustus, the first Roman emperor.
Excavations suggest that the earlier villa was inhabited before the first century A.D. It was likely destroyed during the catastrophic eruption of Vesuvius in 79 A.D., with a later villa built on its ruins in the second century. The University of Tokyo has led excavations at the site for over two decades.
Researchers hope to determine if this earlier villa is indeed where Augustus died in 14 A.D. The site corresponds with historical accounts by Tacitus, Suetonius, and Cassius Dio, which state that Augustus died at his family’s villa near Nola. The modern town of Nola is located approximately 5 miles from the archaeological site at Somma Vesuviana.
During the 1929 excavation of the second-century villa at Somma Vesuviana, it was identified as a potential location for Augustus’ villa. However, funding limitations prevented further exploration. In 2002, the University of Tokyo team and local archaeologists resumed work at the site, uncovering exquisite marble statues and artifacts.
Recent excavations have revealed deeper layers, exposing ruins of an earlier villa pre-dating the eruption. These ruins were buried by volcanic ash and rock. Additionally, the team discovered that the eruption severely impacted the volcano’s northern slopes, previously believed to be primarily affected in the south.
Augustus, born as Gaius Octavius in 63 B.C., rose to power in Rome after the assassination of his great-uncle and adopted father, Julius Caesar. After defeating Mark Antony at the Battle of Actium in 31 B.C., he became the sole ruler of Rome.
Augustus ruled with an iron fist, portraying himself as the ‘first among equals’ in the senate. His adopted son, Tiberius, succeeded him as emperor upon his death in 14 A.D.
Brent Shaw, an archaeologist and classical historian at DePauw University, acknowledges the significance of the archaeological investigation but emphasizes the need for further evidence to establish a connection between the earlier villa and Augustus.
