Ancient, hidden chamber unearthed under legendary Roman emperors villa

Archaeologists recently unearthed a hidden chamber beneath an estate tied to one of ancient Rome’s most famous emperors — and they say it could be the oldest known structure at the site.The discovery, made at Hadrian’s Villa in Tivoli, Italy, was recently announced by Pablo de Olavide University (UPO), a university in Seville, Spain.The imperial villa was once home to Emperor Hadrian, who ruled Rome from 117 to 138 AD.The emperor is best known for building Hadrian’s Wall in northern Britain and traveling throughout the Roman Empire during his reign.The sprawling imperial complex is now preserved as a UNESCO-listed site that draws visitors — and archaeologists — from across the globe.At the villa, archaeologists found an underground structure that dates back to the Roman Republic period, which spanned from 509 BC to 27 BC — centuries before Hadrian took power.The abandoned structure, which officials believe may have been used as a silo or storage facility, was partially filled in with ancient construction debris and ceramic materials.The find “could prove to be the oldest structure ever identified at Hadrian’s Villa,” officials said.Much of that earlier complex was destroyed during construction of the emperor’s sprawling villa, leaving archaeologists with few clues about its history.“The discovery is particularly significant because it is associated with a villa that predated Hadrian’s imperial residence and was later partially incorporated into the construction of the Palazzo,” the statement added.Morning Report delivers the latest news, videos, photos and more.

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Never miss a story.It was surprising to see that the structure was not completely filled with soil, said Rafael Hidalgo, director of the Palazzo Project at Hadrian’s Villa.Hidalgo told Fox News Digital that more surprise...