Discovered beneath the offices of the government of the Metropolitan City of Rome (formerly the Province of Rome until recent modifications to local government), the excavations of the Domus Romane offer a glimpse into the richly decorated houses of well-heeled citizens of the Roman Empire.
Since the inauguration in 2010, modern technology has been used with great success to bring back to life the domestic surroundings and lifestyles of the movers and shakers of ancient Rome, a stone’s throw from their public lives in the Forum. Beneath the street level, surviving traces of mosaics, multi-coloured marble floors, and wall paintings provide the point of departure for projected reconstructions, detailing the various periods of the buildings’ histories.
The visit also includes a great view and virtual reconstruction of Trajan’s Forum, including his column, libraries, and the Basilica Ulpia (law court). The column is a spectacular monument of triumph carved with a relief which records Trajan’s conquest of Dacia (modern-day Romania), culminating in the death of King Decebalus.
The site is definitely the best that central Rome offers for putting the ancient world in context – a veritable time machine.
Visits in English begin at 9.30am, 1.30pm, 2pm, and 2.30pm and advance booking is essential. Any disabled visitors or those with mobility difficulties should make this known when booking as there is provision for assistance.