Archaeologists digging near Rome's Colosseum believe they may have found an ancient firehouse dating back nearly 2,000 years.The building, which dates to the second century A.D., was found in the Villa Celimontana park near the Colosseum, Reuters reported this month.Villa Celimontana dates to the 16th century, when it was developed as a noble residence on Caelian Hill, one of the seven hills of ancient Rome.CONSTRUCTION WORKERS CLEARING OLD BOMBS UNEXPECTEDLY FIND 'IMPORTANT' ANCIENT SANCTUARYThe discovery was originally announced by Rome's archaeological superintendency, part of Italy's Ministry of Culture.At the excavation site, archaeologists fully uncovered five of the building's eight rooms, which contain mosaics and remnants of painted decorations.Archaeologists digging near Rome's Colosseum believe they may have uncovered an ancient Roman firehouse dating back nearly 2,000 years.(Rome's Special Superintendency/Handout via Reuters; Fine Art Images/Heritage Images/Getty Images)Officials believe the building may have been part of the nearby barracks of the Fifth Cohort of the Vigiles, ancient Rome's firefighting force.They cited one telling clue: A mosaic found at the site closely resembles one previously discovered in a firefighters' barracks in Ostia, ancient Rome's port city.ARCHAEOLOGISTS UNCOVER SPRAWLING ROMAN ESTATE BURIED FOR CENTURIES BENEATH FARMLANDThe Vigiles were also tasked with maintaining public order at night, and their nearby barracks used water from an aqueduct."If this hypothesis is confirmed, the discovery would help reassess the extent of one of the most important military complexes of imperial Rome," officials said in a statement.Officials believe the newly discovered structure may have been connected to the Fifth Cohort of the Vigiles, ancient Rome's firefighting force.
(Heritage Art/Heritage Images via Getty Images; Rome's Special Superintendency/Handout via Reuters)Pictures show the remains of the ancient building, including exposed wa...