Archaeologists have since uncovered intact wall paintings and mosaic decorations, along with 48 crates' worth of artifacts.
Cantieri NarrantiArchaeologists found stucco designs on the ceilings of the house.
Students in Italy have stumbled upon an ancient Roman structure — right beneath their high school’s gym. Situated just minutes from the Colosseum in Rome, the school had apparently been built right atop these ruins. After making this incredible find, the students alerted their history teacher, who then notified officials.
Following an archaeological excavation that began in September 2025, the team led by Professor Filippo Coarelli announced in late May that the students had found the ruins of a luxurious house from the mid-second century C.E.
The Elite Roman Dwelling Discovered Right Beneath A High School Gym
In January 2021, students at Liceo Scientifico Cavour (Cavour Scientific High School) protested the school’s plans to extend remote learning in order to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. The students staged a sit-in and camped out at the school — then they made their exciting discovery.
Not long after this protest, students told their history teacher, Claudia Marino, about what they had found. Upon investigating herself, Marino alerted the Special Superintendency of Rome, a branch of the government that is responsible for preserving and researching the history of the capital.
Research has shown that, in the late 19th century, the building that now houses this high school served as the headquarters of Catholic missionaries. In 1895, when digging beneath a street outside, the Via degli Annibaldi, authorities discovered the easternmost section of the house, also known as a domus — the term for a residence of a wealthy family in ancient Rome. But, until the recent discovery made by the students, the domus had gone largely forgotten by Italian authorities.
The house had clearly not gone completely forgotten by everyone, however. The recent excavation revealed graffiti on the house’s walls that dates back to the mid-20th century, when the building was still occupied by missionaries. More recent graffiti might have been left by high school students, who had been known to spread stories of an ancient structure beneath the school.
“Ten years ago, a student told me the story, but I didn’t give it much thought,” Marino told The Times.
Cantieri NarrantiPrevious explorers of the house, perhaps other high schoolers, had left graffiti on the walls.
But now, following the structure’s first bona fide archaeological excavation, all of its secrets have finally come to light.
The house’s rooms remain well-preserved while its walls and vaulted ceilings still display paintings and elegant stucco decorations, according to a statement from the Special Superintendency of Rome. Archaeologists also discovered a decorative mosaic that features tiles of varying shapes arranged in a particular style that was popular during the mid-second century C.E. Researchers also found art with both floral designs and depictions of several human figures.
At the same time, archaeologists filled 48 crates with artifacts taken from the domus, including an amphora — a jar for storing oil, wine, or grain — and various cups from several historical periods.
Researchers do also have some idea of who this all belonged to.
In fact, during the 1895 discovery of a section of the house, excavators found an inscription on a lead pipe with the names of its residents: L. Fabius Gallus and Umbria Albina. While the history of the Umbrius family is poorly documented, there is evidence linking the family to Samnium, an ancient region of southern Italy not far from Mount Vesuvius.
An Important Discovery In An Historic Roman Neighborhood
The newly-uncovered ancient house is situated within an historically important neighborhood of Rome, one that was both close to the Colosseum and nestled between the elite residential districts Carinae and Esquiline Hill. Known as the Monti district, this neighborhood was home to important ancient Roman figures such as Cicero, Pompey, and Octavian, the leader who defeated Mark Antony.
Despite this neighborhood’s rich history, archaeological excavation there has been scarce, due to the especially heavy amount of modern construction and the damage it has done to the ancient layers beneath it.
Cantieri NarrantiSome of the walls of the house had mural-sized paintings.
Now, this discovery of an elite family’s domus could pave the way for more archaeological investigations in the Monti neighborhood that could further illuminate the history of this important area.
This particular house, dubbed “Domus del Liceo Cavour,” could reveal new information about ancient Roman society during the second century C.E. That period — part of Rome’s Imperial era (roughly, the first through fifth century C.E.) — is a time when the Empire included vast swathes of territory in Europe, Asia, and Africa.
One historical finding confirmed by this recent excavation is that wall paintings in a domus were indicative of an elite social and political position in Roman society. The mosaic work found in this domus also sheds light on the role that mosaics played during the Imperial period. As the empire expanded, so did the expression of wealth in the homes of elites, as seen in this new discovery.
And with only one part of the house uncovered by archaeologists so far, findings like these are just the beginning. The archaeological team hopes to collaborate with the high school in continuing to excavate the additional rooms of the domus in order to uncover more artwork and artifacts that will help bring the legacy of this historic neighborhood to life.
After reading about the discovery of an ancient Roman house beneath a high school gym, look through the story of an ancient Roman swimming pool found beneath another Italian school. Then, learn all about the fall of Rome.
