The Sunken City of Baiae

The ancient Roman metropolis of Baiae , on the northwest shore of the Gulf of Naples , was i time a pop coastal resort famous for its idyllic location too therapeutic mineral springs that drew the likes of Julius Caesar , Nero too Caligula. But what actually enticed the wealthy too the powerful to this resort town were its beach parties , the vino too the women. In Baiae , “unmarried women are mutual holding , old men comport similar immature boys , too lots of immature boys human activity similar immature girls ,” wrote the ancient Roman scholar Marcus Terentius Varro. Others described it every bit a “den of licentiousness too vice" too a "vortex of luxury". Baiae’s hedonism was every bit notorious every bit that of Las Vegas today.

But much of Baiae right away lies underwater. The same subterranean volcanic activity that brought hot H2O to the surface too turned Baiae into the violet upper-case alphabetic quality of debauchery too vice also caused its downfall , quite literally. The entire province dropped similar a plate past times to a greater extent than than half-dozen meters —a procedure known every bit bradyseism , caused past times the emptying of the underlying magma chamber. This happened during the 16th century , but past times too thence , Baiae was already a mere shadow of its quondam magnificence.

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Photo credit: Roberto Serani/You Tube

Baiae was built on the Cumaean Peninsula , originally every bit a port. It became a luxurious resort too a gateway for the elite towards the destination of the Roman Republic too the outset of the Roman Empire. Baia was the hottest opor-garai spot alongside prominent members of the Roman aristocracy such every bit Julius Caesar , Nero , Caligula , Augustus , Pompeius the Great , Marcus Antonius , Septimius Severus … the listing goes on. Many had their ain villas built there.

Baiae is also associated with but about of the nearly notable events inwards Roman history. Nero had his woman raise Agrippina murdered inwards the villa he had built inwards Baiae. Hadrian died at that spot too Caligula built his famous pontoon duet extending from Baia to Pozzuoli. It is said that Cleopatra was staying inwards Baiae at the fourth dimension of Julius Caesar’s decease inwards 44 BC.

Baiae’s glory days came to an destination with the barbarian invasions too raids past times Muslim rulers inwards the eighth century. Then , inwards the 16th century , it vanished beneath the Tyrrhenian Sea.

Today , i tin conduct maintain a glass-bottom boat out from the harbor or dive downward to persuasion the ruins. There are paved roads flanked with buildings , magnificent villas owned past times the elite Roman families , dozens of marble statues , too bathroom complexes. Most of the buildings conduct maintain collapsed walls but the dissimilar rooms are discernable. Some of these rooms all the same conduct maintain their mosaic floors intact. Covered past times seaweed , this i time neat metropolis has right away larn dwelling to a varied marine life.

Aside from Baiae’s underwater archaeological green , at that spot are several Roman ruins to come across higher upwardly the sea. The Temple of Mercury , the Temple of Venus , too the Temple of Diana , are its nearly pop sights.

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