Archaeologists have unveiled the remains of an ancient Roman villa, a domus from the mid-Imperial period, discovered beneath the gymnasium of Cavour High School in Rome, just steps from the Colosseum.
The discovery was brought to light after students drew attention to long-rumored ancient ruins on the school grounds. School officials stated that the domus was discovered "by chance." Over the years, school staff had informed Rome's Special Superintendency about accidental findings. Work began in January 2026 to clear recent fill material, allowing for an archaeological excavation.
Excavations revealed vaulted rooms that still retain figurative paintings and stucco decorations, though they are now largely buried and show signs of modern graffiti and rubble. Claudia Marino, a history and Latin teacher at Cavour High School, initially dismissed rumors of the ruins but later investigated after a student protest. Marino recounted entering the villa through a space beyond ancient Roman walls.
The site also contained graffiti dated to the 1940s and 1950s, suggesting the location had been accessed decades prior to the recent excavation. Officials plan to eventually open the villa to the public, with students potentially serving as guides.
This discovery adds to a growing number of Roman buildings unearthed or rediscovered in recent years. In the summer of 2025, archaeologists working on Rome's Metro Line C project uncovered a multi-story apartment building dating to the first century B.C. Earlier that same season, an ancient Roman building was discovered by a pedestrian at a highway construction site in Switzerland.