Oldest Structure at Hadrian's Villa Uncovered Beneath Imperial Palace Complex

Archaeologist excavating ceramic pots at Hadrian's Villa.

June

/ 2026

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Archaeologists from Pablo de Olavide University (UPO) have unearthed what is believed to be the oldest structure ever documented at Hadrian's Villa near Rome. The discovery, made during a recent excavation campaign at the Palazzo sector of the UNESCO World Heritage site, sheds new light on the origins of the vast imperial complex built by the Roman Emperor Hadrian.

The remarkable find includes a subterranean structure dating back to the Republican era, long before Emperor Hadrian commissioned his grand countryside retreat in the second century AD. According to researchers, these remains likely belong to an earlier villa that was later incorporated into the foundations of the Palazzo, offering a rare glimpse into the site's history prior to its imperial transformation.

A Hidden Republican Era Hypogeum

The most significant discovery of the latest campaign, led by Professor Rafael Hidalgo, was the excavation of a hypogeum, an underground chamber that may have served as a silo or storage space. This structure appears to have been abandoned and partially filled during the Roman Republic period with construction debris and ceramic materials.

The recovered artifacts include architectural terracotta decorations adorned with animal motifs and various pottery fragments. Experts emphasize that this deposit represents the only securely identified archaeological context from the Republican era found so far within the expansive Hadrian's Villa complex.

General view of the Canopus at Hadrian's Villa, Tivoli, Italy. Source: Anna Eden 86/CC BY-SA 4.0

Unveiling the Elaborate Imperial Gardens

In addition to the underground chamber, the excavation expanded our understanding of the elaborate gardens that surrounded the Palazzo, a key residential area of the villa. Work conducted in one of the peristyles confirmed that the Roman villa garden featured a perimeter flowerbed with densely packed rows of ceramic pots surrounding the courtyard.

This ingenious design allowed gardeners to rotate flowering plants seasonally, replacing pots as blooms faded to maintain a vibrant display year-round. The findings provide new insights into the sophisticated landscaping techniques employed at the imperial residence, where gardens were central to both aesthetics and daily life.

The team also identified carefully arranged tree pits intended for planting shrubs and trees, indicating a highly organized layout integrated with the monumental architecture. These discoveries build upon previous campaigns that uncovered an exceptional collection of intact ceramic flowerpots in the same area.

Researchers cataloging ceramic pots recovered from Hadrian's Villa (UPO)

A Legacy of Continuous Research

The research project at Hadrian's Villa has been continuously led by UPO since 2003, in collaboration with the Institute of Hadrian's Villa and Villa d'Este. The recent excavation involved academics and students from several institutions, including the University of London's Institute of Classical Studies and Roma Tre University.

Constructed during the reign of Emperor Hadrian, the villa is regarded as one of the most important archaeological complexes of the Roman world. These new findings not only enrich our knowledge of Hadrian's magnificent retreat but also highlight the layers of history that predate its construction, revealing the enduring legacy of this remarkable site.

Top image: Archaeologist excavating ceramic pots at Hadrian's Villa. Source: UPO

By Gary Manners