Shifting magma beneath the Earth's surface has caused the ancient Roman villa to reappear after hundreds of years beneath the surface of Lake Fusaro.
Josi Gerardo Della Ragione/FacebookThe submerged Roman villa in Lake Fusaro.
A hidden treasure from ancient Rome has emerged from the depths of Lake Fusaro near Naples, Italy. The shifting magma beneath the Earth’s surface has brought a long-submerged villa back into view.
With the gradual rise of the region, archaeologists have discovered the villa’s stunning features, such as thermal baths and elaborate walls, offering new insights into the opulent architecture and culture of ancient Rome that had been concealed for centuries.
Volcanic Activity Reveals An Ancient Roman Villa
Giancarlo Marseglia Ceccoli/Flickr The villa is located near Casina Vanvitelliana on Lake Fusaro, pictured here.
On Feb. 27, the mayor of the Italian comune of Bacoli announced the discovery of a sunken villa in Lake Fusaro. This area is less than a mile from Baiae, the ancient Roman town where aristocrats and emperors used to vacation in luxury.
The same geological force that caused parts of Baiae to sink into the Gulf of Naples by the eighth century C.E. has now lifted this ancient villa from Lake Fusaro. The phenomenon — known as bradyseism — is caused by the filling or emptying of chambers beneath the surface of the Earth. When magma and other hydrothermal liquids enter these chambers, the fluids cause the ground above to lift. As they exit, the ground sinks.
Bacoli and the surrounding areas are particularly susceptible to bradyseism. When Greek colonists first settled the region in the eighth century B.C.E., they referred to it as “Campi Flegrei” or “The Burning Fields” due to the frequent volcanic activity. Lake Fusaro, Baiae, and Bacoli are all part of the Phlegraean Fields, a large volcanic caldera.
©Luigi Novi/Wikimedia CommonsAn overhead view of the Phlegraean Fields, the volcanic caldera where Lake Fusaro (seen here in the upper left) is located.
Since 2005, the area has risen four-and-a-half feet, according to a study by the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology. In 2024 alone, the Earth’s surface rose by seven inches in the region. This has caused the shoreline of Lake Fusaro to retreat, revealing parts of the bed that have been hidden beneath the water’s surface for hundreds of years — including the Roman villa.
The Opulent Roman Residence In Lake Fusaro
In a Facebook post, Mayor Josi Gerardo Della Ragione of Bacoli wrote, “They were underwater! Walls and rooms from the Roman era have been discovered in Lake Fusaro. Perhaps they belonged to a lavish villa.”
Public DomainAn example of opus reticulatum brickwork in Pompeii.
The walls were built in opus reticulatum, a form of brickwork used in early Roman architecture. The style can be seen at structures like Hadrian’s Villa and Herod’s winter palace in Jericho. Aerial photography also indicates the villa in Lake Fusaro had thermal baths, suggesting it was a residence of elite Roman citizens.
Experts from the Superintendence of Archaeology, Fine Arts, and Landscape of Naples are expected to arrive at the site to conduct a full examination of the villa, hopefully shedding light on more architectural and cultural traditions of ancient Rome.
Josi Gerardo Della Ragione/FacebookDucks swim near one of the villa’s walls.
While the area’s unique geology is responsible for hiding these discoveries, it has also made their rediscovery possible. This region, which is home to Pompeii and Herculaneum — two cities destroyed by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 C.E. — has shown time and time again the both destructive and restorative powers of our planet’s geological processes.
As the mayor concluded in his post, “Bacoli continues to be a treasure chest of wonders, promoting cultural tourist circuits unique in the world.”
After reading about the ancient sunken villa that just emerged from Lake Fusaro, dive into 13 of the most haunting sunken cities from around the world. Then, read about Lake Lanier, the Georgia reservoir that has claimed hundreds of lives.
