A new archaeological discovery near the Colosseum may shed light on how ancient Rome organized public safety and fire protection.
Archaeologists have discovered in the Villa Celimontana park, on Rome's Caelian Hill, the remains of a building from the 2nd century AD, which is suspected to have served as barracks for the "Vigiles", the troop that in the Roman Empire performed the role of firefighters and night guards.
According to Italian authorities, the discovered structure is located not far from the Colosseum and contains preserved decorative elements, including mosaics and frescoes. Among the motifs found are marine figures such as dolphins, fish, lobsters and crabs, placed around a two-handled vessel. Archaeologists have also identified a ceiling painted with red and blue circles.
These elements, according to researchers, resemble decorations found in a well-known Vigile barracks in Ostia, the ancient port of Rome. This has raised the suspicion that the building discovered at Villa Celimontana may have been associated with the Fifth Vigile Cohort.
Vigiles were one of the most important structures of urban life in imperial Rome. They were responsible for extinguishing fires, patrolling at night, and maintaining public order in a city where fires were a constant danger.
However, archaeologists are still cautious about their conclusions. Due to the rich decorations, it is not excluded that the building was also a "domus", that is, a private residence of a wealthy Roman family. The final interpretation will depend on further analysis of the materials found during the excavations.
If it is confirmed that it is a Vigile barracks, the discovery would be important for better understanding the organization of ancient Rome, not only as an imperial capital, but also as a metropolis that needed daily security, emergency and control structures.
The discovery is part of archaeological work partly funded by European funds for the post-pandemic recovery. Italian authorities are expected to continue analyses to determine the exact function of the building.
