In 2023, archaeologists have revealed the luxurious lifestyle of the ancient Romans, from a wine-filled “fridge” to swimming pools, photos show.
Photos from Oxford Archeology (left) and Pompeii Archaeological Park (right)
The Roman Empire once stretched across vast swathes of Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa to encircle the Mediterranean Sea. Although the empire is long gone, remnants of its inhabitants’ lives remain scattered throughout the region, waiting to be rediscovered.
From Spain to Sweden, 2023 archaeological discoveries have revealed the luxurious lifestyle of the ancient Romans.
Archaeologists in Italy’s iconic volcano-preserved city of Pompeii have completed a 20-year restoration project and reopened an elite Roman residence to the public. Once again, Vettii’s house has a garden with gushing fountains, delicate sculptures and walls covered in vibrant paintings.
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In another street in Pompeii, excavations have uncovered the ancient equivalent of a “dry cleaning shopknown as fullonica, where people could pay to have their laundry done.
Nearby, archaeologists from Naples discovered a 2,000 year old room where a Roman emperor, knights and merchants once celebrated. In Rome, excavations near the Colosseum discovered a sumptuous 2,000-year-old residence which probably belonged to an elite aristocrat, perhaps even a government official.
Beyond the center of the empire, archaeologists in Toledo, Spain, have reopened their doors a two-story Roman complex with several 1,800 year old swimming pools. The pools were found in the basement of a house.
Another ancient Roman station with a waterfall fed pool was found in Yenne, France. A huge Roman bath — which once existed stained glass windows — was also discovered in Xanten, Germany.
A rarer and more ambiguous type of ruined Roman structure has reappeared from a forest in Zug, Switzerland. What it initially looked like a few bricks moved turned out to be a vast 2,000-year-old complex, perhaps a villa or temple. These ruins are the first discovery of their kind in the region in almost 100 years.
Individual artifacts also revealed the luxury of the ancient empire. Excavations at Olney, England, found a “vibrant” Roman mosaic dating back at least 1,600 years ago.
Archaeologists from Novae, Bulgaria were excavating a Roman military camp when they found an old “refrigerator” a food storage unit made of ceramic plates. The refrigerator still contained animal bones, fragments of dishes and wine.
Not all Roman finds were easy to identify. Some discoveries have left archaeologists perplexed.
A metal detector in Kortessem, Belgium, came across an unusual metal fragment that experts identified as part of a Roman dodecahedron. These 12-sided bronze objects have holes on each side and small balls on each corner. Archaeologists still don’t know the purpose of these original artifacts, but suspect they were used in witchcraft, divination, or other magical rituals.
Archaeologists have also been baffled by a pair of Roman coins found on the isolated island of Gotska Sandön, Sweden. The pieces were recognizable enough, but their location was unusual and – at least until now – inexplicable.
The ancient Roman Empire lasted from 27 BC to 476 AD. All these discoveries date from this period. Archaeologists will continue excavations at many of these sites and continue to study the rediscovered artifacts to develop a deeper understanding of life under the historic Roman Empire.
Aspen Pflughoeft covers real-time news for McClatchy. She graduated from Minerva University where she studied communications, history and international politics. Previously, she reported for Deseret News.
