Archeologists Stunned to Discover Ancient Luxurious Roman Villa With Wine Fountains Built With Fun and Fermentation in Mind
In 2023, researchers reported about an ancient Roman winery they had unearthed just south of Rome. The winery was spotted in the mid-third-century C.E. Villa of the Quintilii, Popular Science stated. Experts claimed that the label Gordian had been found on a wine-collection vat in the facility. This finding made researchers think that Roman emperor Gordian III could have been responsible for making the winery or renovating it at some point between C.E. 238 and 244. Findings regarding the winery have been published in Antiquity.
The winery was uncovered by chance, during an operation to find one of the starting posts for the villa’s arena, as per The Guardian. A chariot racing track was constructed in the villa during the reign of the emperor Commodus (A.D. 177-192). The winery was built on one of the starting gates. The unearthed facility contained two wine presses, a cellar, two presses, and a grape treading area. The cellar was placed deep into the ground to store and ferment the wine.
All of these features were typical for a winery of that time, but the opulence with which they were laid out, was what stood them apart, according to experts. "However, the decoration and arrangement of these features are almost completely unparalleled in the ancient world," explained Emlyn Dodd, study co-author and archaeologist and assistant director at the British School at Rome, stated Popular Science.
"Nearly all the production areas are clad in marble veneer tiling. Even the treading area, normally coated in waterproof cocciopesto plaster, is covered in red breccia marble. This luxurious material, combined with its impracticalities (it is very slippery when wet, unlike plaster), conveys the extreme sense of luxury," said Dodd.
The winery sported multiple dining rooms where people possibly sat to enjoy the view of wine-filled fountains. The treading areas were lined with marble, a place that researchers believe was used by enslaved workers to stamp on the harvested grapes. The crushed remnants were transported to the mechanical presses in the facility, and liquid was extracted from it. The juice was then reportedly put into the fountain, from which it gushed out through semicircular niches.
Considering the spectacle of wine production that took place in this facility, researchers believe it was made with the objective of both 'entertainment' and 'winemaking' in mind. Historical records also back up this assertion. Letters by the ancient emperor, Marcus Aurelius, narrated how he ate rich meals while enjoying wine being made in front of him. Experts based on details in the letter speculated that the facility where he had this experience was the Villa Magna.
Villa of the Quintilii is just 30 miles away from Villa Magna. The nearness makes experts speculate that the area was frequented by elites for leisurely activities. Only one dining room has been excavated from Quintilii and researchers are hoping to get more funds to work through the other areas.