In the comune of Bacoli in the greater metropolitan area of Naples, Italy, an astonishing geological process is bringing remnants of an ancient Roman building complex to the surface in Lake Fusaro. This phenomenon, known as bradyseism, is a result of volcanic activity and has drawn the attention of archaeologists and historians eager to study the newly revealed structures.
Bradyseism is the gradual rise or fall of the Earth's surface, caused by the movement of magma or hydrothermal fluids beneath the ground. Lake Fusaro is situated in the Phlegraean Fields, an active volcanic region that includes the Solfatara volcano and is noted for frequent emissions of gas and steam. This area has long been shaped by subterranean forces, and the latest geological shifts are uncovering (or perhaps more accurately, uplifting) lost ruins that may be more than 2,000 years old.
Lake Fusaro lies near the site of the ancient Roman town of Baiae, a luxurious retreat during the Roman era. Baiae had a reputation for extravagance, and the poet Sextus Propertius described it as a "vortex of luxury" and a "harbor of vice." Now, the same region is revealing even more about its past as the land continues to shift.
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Research from the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology indicates that the Lake Fusaro area has been rising since 2005, with the total uplift adding up to 54 inches (138 centimeters), including a nearly eight-inch (20-centimeter) increase in 2024 alone.
A pair of duck archaeologists examine ruins from Roman villa popping up out of the waters of Lake Fusaro. (Josi Gerardo Della Ragione).
This geological activity is not only altering the shoreline of Lake Fusaro, but also impacting local ports and marinas, where receding waters make navigation more challenging.
One of the most remarkable consequences of this shifting landscape is the emergence of an ancient Roman villa with surrounding structures and ruins, which is clearly visible from aerial photographs. Josi Gerardo Della Ragione, the Mayor of Bacoli, stated that the structure likely included thermal baths and will be examined by the Superintendence of Archaeology, Fine Arts, and Landscape of Naples, to determine its age and complete makeup.
This discovery underscores the dynamic relationship between nature and history. As bradyseism reshapes the land, it is reveal long-hidden pieces of Italy’s colorful and storied past, providing archaeologists with valuable insights into the region’s rich cultural heritage.
High aerial photo of Lake Fusaro, with Roman ruins visible just below the circular building on the lake. (Josi Gerardo Della Ragione).
Underwater Surprises in the Ancient World’s Las Vegas
This is not the first time that fabulous submerged Roman remains have been discovered in this area. Just two years ago, underwater archaeologists searching the shallow waters of the Gulf of Naples, off Italy’s western coast, discovered the ruins of multiple spectacular Roman villas. Built 2,000 years ago, or possibly even a little earlier, these underwater remains are part of the legendary remains of Baiae, which was the equivalent of Las Vegas in the ancient world.
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The resort community of Baiae was built on the Cumaean Peninsula on the northwestern coast of the Gulf of Naples, just a few kilometers from Pompeii. While Baiae was not destroyed by a volcanic eruption like Pompeii, it was still located in a volcanically active area, and the movement of magma in the earth caused the lower half of Baiae to gradually sink beneath the sea between the third and 16th centuries.
Celebrated as perhaps Rome’s most luxurious vacation destination, Baiae first rose to prominence in the late Republican era. The village was named after Baius, a character from Homer’s epic poem the Odyssey who served as helmsman on Odysseus’s ship and was even said to have been buried somewhere close to the Gulf of Naples.
At the height of its fame, Baiae was well-known for its beautiful beaches, gorgeous landscape and fabulous architecture. It was also known for its extreme hedonism and dedication to the most outrageous forms of vice.
Interestingly, the decadence of Baiae seems to have reached its peak not in the declining days of the Roman Empire, which is so often associated with self-indulgence and disreputable behavior among the wealthy. Instead, it was during the latter stages of the Republic when the whims of the rich and famous were indulged so freely at Baiae and without any concern for propriety.
This was during the resort town’s earliest days (Baiae was founded around 100 BC). Historians say that over time the village evolved into a more eclectic getaway where Roman leaders and aristocrats could party as hard as they wanted or enjoy restful and relaxing vacation if that was their preference.
Some of surviving ruins of the Roman resort town of Baiae. (Ra Boe/CC BY-SA 3.0).
The names of the individuals who spent a significant amount of time at Baiae is a virtual who’s-who of the Roman Republican and Imperial eras. Julius Caesar had a villa there, as did Nero and Hadrian (the latter died in Baiae in 138). The emperor Septimius Severus visited frequently and considered it one of his favorite places. The infamous emperor Caligula was yet another elite figure who came to Baiae quite often, and he was responsible for an elaborate stunt that was remembered for decades.
The comune of Bacoli has the distinction of hosting archaeological sites connected to both Baiae and its sister resort town of Bauli, which was also a popular vacation retreat for ancient Roman elites. With the excavated ruins of the doomed cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum also close by, the area has now become as popular with archaeologists as it was with Roman aristocrats in ancient times, although archaeologists are arriving with a much more serious purpose.
Top image: Aerial view of Lake Fusaro and the ruins of the Roman villa visible at the surface.
Source: Josi Gerardo Della Ragione.
By Nathan Falde
