Cantieri Narranti /Special Superintendency of Rome
The luxurious Roman villa belonged to a wealthy family and was discovered under the gymnasium of a school located in the center of Rome, just a few meters from the famous coliseum.
A remarkable archaeological discovery has emerged under a secondary school in the center of Romewhere students investigating ancient rumors about hidden underground chambers inadvertently discovered the remains of a luxurious Roman villa nearly 1900 years old.
The discovery was made under the gymnasium of Liceo Scientifico Cavourlocated just a few meters from the iconic Coliseum. For years, students have shared stories about mysterious passages beneath the school. According to reports, several of them ended up venturing into underground spaces and discovered evidence of an ancient structurewhich led them to alert their teacher.
The discovery was reported by history and Latin professor Claudia Marino to archaeological authorities in Rome. Formal excavations began in January 2026 and revealed that the hidden rooms were part of a elegant 2nd century Roman residenceknown today as Domus Liceo Cavour.
The school occupies a building that originally served as the headquarters of a Catholic missionary congregation at the end of the 19th century. During the construction of the complex, archaeologists had already identified fragments of a Roman domus, that is, a large urban residence, but the extent of the remains remained unknown. The area itself is of particular historical importance, having once been home to influential figures from Ancient Rome such as Cicero, Pompey and Augustus.
According to archaeologists, the newly excavated rooms probably belonged to a member of the Umbrius familybased on an inscription discovered during previous excavations in the 19th century. Although little is known about the family, researchers believe they may have originated in the ancient region of Sâmnio in south-central Italy.
The excavation revealed a wealth of decorative elements that attest to the village’s former grandeur. Archaeologists found well-preserved frescoes depicting floral and figurative motifs, elaborate stucco ceiling ornaments, and a mosaic floor made with large, irregularly shaped tiles, a style associated with the wealthy Roman families of the time.
Alongside these ancient treasures, researchers also discovered most recent traces of human activityincluding graffiti left by students, tourists and explorers who entered the underground chambers during the 20th century.
Only part of the village has been excavated to date, as much of the structure extends beneath existing school buildings. Archaeologists believe that new explorations could reveal more rooms and artifacts. Plans are already being discussed to open the site to the public in the future, with the possibility of students serving as guides, transforming a serendipitous discovery in a school yard into one of Rome’s most unusual archaeological attractions.
