Archaeologists announced a fascinating discovery in Rome, revealing the ruins of Nero’s Theater, an imperial theater mentioned in ancient Roman texts but never before found.

The remarkable find was made beneath the garden of a future Four Seasons Hotel, conveniently located near the Vatican.

Since 2020, excavations have been carried out extensively under the walled garden of Palazzo della Rovere, a frescoed Renaissance building.

The palazzo occupies a city block along the grand Via della Conciliazione, leading to St. Peter’s Square, the Associated Press has reported.

It currently houses an ancient Vatican chivalric order, which leases the space to a hotel to raise funds for Christians in the Holy Land.

During a news conference confirming the archaeological discovery, Leonardo Visconti di Modrone, the governor general of the Order of the Holy Sepulcher of Jerusalem, revealed that the Four Seasons Hotel chain is set to occupy the site.

It is expected to open in time for the Vatican’s 2025 Jubilee, drawing an estimated 30 million visitors and pilgrims to Rome.

The excavation’s findings have been hailed as “exceptional” by officials, providing a rare glimpse into Roman history, spanning from the Roman Empire to the 15th century.

Among the treasures unearthed are colored glass goblets and pottery pieces from the 10th century, shedding light on a period in Rome about which little was previously known.

Notably, the excavation uncovered an impressive number of glass chalices, with seven more found at this site alone, adding to the meager seven previously known from the era, the AP reported.

Furthermore, discoveries of marble columns and gold-leaf decorated plaster have led archaeologists to confidently identify the site as the long-sought Nero’s Theater mentioned in texts by Pliny the Elder.

In a move to preserve these valuable antiquities, officials plan to relocate them to a museum.

As for the ruins of the theater structure itself, they will be carefully covered again once all studies and analyses have been completed.

This exciting find promises to enrich our understanding of ancient Roman history and culture.

Written by staff