From holy to sinful: 2000-year-old Caligula’s gardens discovered in Vatican by accident

Not far from the Vatican, construction workers came across a unique find — the gardens that belonged to the Roman Emperor Caligula. This historical monument, which is more than 2000 years old, is located on the banks of the Tiber.

During the construction of a new interchange in Piazza Pia, workers accidentally discovered ancient ruins. Archaeologists who joined the excavations discovered a lead water pipe with an inscription in Latin. The inscription referred to Gaius Caesar Augustus Germanicus, known in history as Caligula.

Caligula ruled the Roman Empire from 37 to 41 AD. His short reign is remembered for its cruelty and eccentric behavior. The emperor became famous for his tyranny and bullying of senators, which eventually led to his assassination by the Praetorian GuardPersonal bodyguards of the emperors of the Roman Empire..

The found gardens confirm the story of the Egyptian philosopher Philo of AlexandriaHe was a prominent Jewish philosopher and theologian who lived between about 20 BC and 50 AD in Alexandria, Egypt. In his work «On the Embassy to Gaius» he describes a meeting between Caligula and representatives of the Jews of Alexandria in a garden near the Tiber. At that time, the emperor denied the Jewish community religious autonomy, siding with the Greeks in the conflict between the two communities of Alexandria.

Archaeologist Alessio De Cristofaro notes that this discovery is of particular importance. Piazza Pia is located in the same area where the «Horti Agrippinae» — gardens of Agrippina the Elder, Caligula’s mother, were once located. Researchers suggest that this property was inherited from Germanicus to his wife Agrippina the Elder, and then to their son Caligula.

In addition to the water pipe, the archaeologists found fragments of Roman pottery and terracotta figures with mythological scenes that decorated the roofs of buildings of the time.

Source: Livescience