Latest news with #MarikoMuramatsu
Scottish Sun
09-07-2025
- Science
- Scottish Sun
Inside DOOMED Mt Vesuvius villa destroyed by volcano blast where famed Roman emperor may have died 2,000 years ago
That many furnaces would have heated a significant amount of water, which may have even been used to entertain influential guests LAVA-LY HOME YOU'VE GOT Inside DOOMED Mt Vesuvius villa destroyed by volcano blast where famed Roman emperor may have died 2,000 years ago Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) THE luxurious but tragedy-stricken villa where the first Roman emperor, Augustus, is believed to have died has been unearthed after 2,000 years. Researchers from the University of Tokyo say there are a number of clues that suggest the posh villa belonged to Augustus, who lived between 63 BC and 14 AD. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 5 The ruins of the villa, which were buried under a thick layer of volcanic ash, reveal luxuries only afforded to the ultra-wealthy at the time - namely, a private bath Credit: University of Japan 5 Amphora ceramic containers lined along a wall of a structure at the Somma Vesuviana site Credit: University of Japan 5 That number of furnaces has been called an exceptionally rare find by the archaeological community Credit: University of Tokyo The 3,650-square-meter villa located at Somma Vesuviana, at the northern foot of Mount Vesuvius, was destroyed on the day of the eruption in 79 AD. The famous buried city of Pompeii was located on the mountain's southern slope, and was also completely destroyed by the same eruption. The ruins of the villa, which were buried under a thick layer of volcanic ash, reveal luxuries only afforded to the ultra-wealthy at the time - namely, a private bath. It boasts five large furnaces, which are presumed to have heated an enormous bath. That number of furnaces has been called an exceptionally rare find by the archaeological community. Carbon found inside the furnace dates back to around the first century, and suggests they went cold not long after. "There has never been a case where five large furnaces have been excavated from an Italian site," Mariko Muramatsu, professor of Italian studies at the University of Tokyo, said. 5 The famous buried city of Pomepii was located on the mountain's southern slope, and was also completely destroyed by the same eruption Credit: University of Tokyo Muramatsu, who began an archaeological survey of the site in 2002, added: "It makes sense as an explanation that no one else but the emperor could make such a magnificent feat possible." The researchers noted that Augustus, who held immense power as the founder of the Roman Empire, may have used the building as a guesthouse. Mystery as body of footless Roman with KNIFE in back found at ancient fort That many furnaces would have heated a significant amount of water, which may have even been used to entertain influential guests. "It is almost certain that they were used to heat a large amount of water for a huge bath facility," said Masanori Aoyagi, former commissioner of the Agency for Cultural Affairs and professor emeritus at the University of Tokyo. The researchers also said the bath was out of use around the same time Augustus died in 14 AD, and what appeared to be a large temple was later constructed on the site. 5 The researchers noted that Augustus, who held immense power as the founder of the Roman Empire, may have used the building as a guesthouse Credit: Getty Augustus' grave has never been found, but ancient records say he passed away at his villa northeast of Mount Vesuvius. Accounts from that period also say a memorial was built there in memory of his accomplishments - but the precise location of that villa has remained a mystery. Despite the lack of conclusive evidence, researchers say another clue supporting their theories is the fact that the site is located more than 200 kilometres from Rome. "Augustus built a guesthouse with a huge bath beyond Roman citizens' scrutiny in a bid to show his greatness to aristocrats and military officers and have them feel the Pax Romana (Roman peace) in the bath," said Aoyagi, who served as the first project head of the research team. The research team has already begun excavations on the south side of the furnace in hopes of finding the remnants of ancient bath water.
The Irish Sun
09-07-2025
- Science
- The Irish Sun
Inside DOOMED Mt Vesuvius villa destroyed by volcano blast where famed Roman emperor may have died 2,000 years ago
THE luxurious but tragedy-stricken villa where the first Roman emperor, Augustus, is believed to have died has been unearthed after 2,000 years. Researchers from the University of Tokyo say there are a number of clues that suggest the posh villa belonged to Augustus, who lived between 63 BC and 14 AD. Advertisement 5 The ruins of the villa, which were buried under a thick layer of volcanic ash, reveal luxuries only afforded to the ultra-wealthy at the time - namely, a private bath Credit: University of Japan 5 Amphora ceramic containers lined along a wall of a structure at the Somma Vesuviana site Credit: University of Japan 5 That number of furnaces has been called an exceptionally rare find by the archaeological community Credit: University of Tokyo The 3,650-square-meter villa located at Somma Vesuviana, at the northern foot of Mount Vesuvius, was destroyed on the day of the eruption in 79 AD. The famous buried city of Pompeii was located on the mountain's southern slope, and was also completely destroyed by the same eruption. The ruins of the villa, which were buried under a thick layer of volcanic ash, reveal luxuries only afforded to the ultra-wealthy at the time - namely, a private bath. It boasts five large furnaces, which are presumed to have heated an enormous bath. Advertisement READ MORE ON ARCHAEOLOGY That number of furnaces has been called an exceptionally rare find by the archaeological community. Carbon found inside the furnace dates back to around the first century, and suggests they went cold not long after. "There has never been a case where five large furnaces have been excavated from an Italian site," Mariko Muramatsu, professor of Italian studies at the University of Tokyo, said. 5 The famous buried city of Pomepii was located on the mountain's southern slope, and was also completely destroyed by the same eruption Credit: University of Tokyo Advertisement Muramatsu, who began an archaeological survey of the site in 2002, added: "It makes sense as an explanation that no one else but the emperor could make such a magnificent feat possible." Most read in Science The researchers noted that Augustus, who held immense power as the founder of the Roman Empire, may have used the building as a guesthouse. Mystery as body of footless Roman with KNIFE in back found at ancient fort That many furnaces would have heated a significant amount of water, which may have even been used to entertain influential guests. "It is almost certain that they were used to heat a large amount of water for a huge bath facility," said Masanori Aoyagi, former commissioner of the Agency for Cultural Affairs and professor emeritus at the University of Tokyo. Advertisement The researchers also said the bath was out of use around the same time Augustus died in 14 AD, and what appeared to be a large temple was later constructed on the site. 5 The researchers noted that Augustus, who held immense power as the founder of the Roman Empire, may have used the building as a guesthouse Credit: Getty Augustus' grave has never been found, but ancient records say he passed away at his villa northeast of Mount Vesuvius. Accounts from that period also say a memorial was built there in memory of his accomplishments - but the precise location of that villa has remained a mystery. Advertisement Despite the lack of conclusive evidence, researchers say another clue supporting their theories is the fact that the site is located more than 200 kilometres from Rome. "Augustus built a guesthouse with a huge bath beyond Roman citizens' scrutiny in a bid to show his greatness to aristocrats and military officers and have them feel the Pax Romana (Roman peace) in the bath," said Aoyagi, who served as the first project head of the research team. The research team has already begun excavations on the south side of the furnace in hopes of finding the remnants of ancient bath water. A brief history of the Roman Empire Here's what you need to know... The Roman Empire began shortly after the founding of the Roman Republic in the 6th century BC It reigned for around a thousand years until the fall of the last Western emperor in 476 AD During this time, the Romans ruled over many countries in Europe and parts of Africa and the Middle East At its height, 90 million people lived in the Roman Empire It evolved from a monarchy to a democratic republic to a military dictatorship and then was finally ruled by emperors One of the most well-known Roman leaders is Julius Caesar, famously assassinated in 44BC He is largely credited for his military mind and laying the foundations for the Roman Empire The spread of the Roman Empire into Britain in around 55 BC has had a lasting impact on our lives today Latin, straight roads, underfloor heating and the spread of Christianity are all attributed to the Romans
The Sun
09-07-2025
- General
- The Sun
Inside DOOMED Mt Vesuvius villa destroyed by volcano blast where famed Roman emperor may have died 2,000 years ago
THE luxurious but tragedy-stricken villa where the first Roman emperor, Augustus, is believed to have died has been unearthed after 2,000 years. Researchers from the University of Tokyo say there are a number of clues that suggest the posh villa belonged to Augustus, who lived between 63 BC and 14 AD. 5 5 5 The 3,650-square-meter villa located at Somma Vesuviana, at the northern foot of Mount Vesuvius, was destroyed on the day of the eruption in 79 AD. The famous buried city of Pompeii was located on the mountain's southern slope, and was also completely destroyed by the same eruption. The ruins of the villa, which were buried under a thick layer of volcanic ash, reveal luxuries only afforded to the ultra-wealthy at the time - namely, a private bath. It boasts five large furnaces, which are presumed to have heated an enormous bath. That number of furnaces has been called an exceptionally rare find by the archaeological community. Carbon found inside the furnace dates back to around the first century, and suggests they went cold not long after. "There has never been a case where five large furnaces have been excavated from an Italian site," Mariko Muramatsu, professor of Italian studies at the University of Tokyo, said. 5 Muramatsu, who began an archaeological survey of the site in 2002, added: "It makes sense as an explanation that no one else but the emperor could make such a magnificent feat possible." The researchers noted that Augustus, who held immense power as the founder of the Roman Empire, may have used the building as a guesthouse. That many furnaces would have heated a significant amount of water, which may have even been used to entertain influential guests. "It is almost certain that they were used to heat a large amount of water for a huge bath facility," said Masanori Aoyagi, former commissioner of the Agency for Cultural Affairs and professor emeritus at the University of Tokyo. The researchers also said the bath was out of use around the same time Augustus died in 14 AD, and what appeared to be a large temple was later constructed on the site. 5 Augustus' grave has never been found, but ancient records say he passed away at his villa northeast of Mount Vesuvius. Accounts from that period also say a memorial was built there in memory of his accomplishments - but the precise location of that villa has remained a mystery. Despite the lack of conclusive evidence, researchers say another clue supporting their theories is the fact that the site is located more than 200 kilometres from Rome. "Augustus built a guesthouse with a huge bath beyond Roman citizens' scrutiny in a bid to show his greatness to aristocrats and military officers and have them feel the Pax Romana (Roman peace) in the bath," said Aoyagi, who served as the first project head of the research team. The research team has already begun excavations on the south side of the furnace in hopes of finding the remnants of ancient bath water. A brief history of the Roman Empire Here's what you need to know... The Roman Empire began shortly after the founding of the Roman Republic in the 6th century BC It reigned for around a thousand years until the fall of the last Western emperor in 476 AD During this time, the Romans ruled over many countries in Europe and parts of Africa and the Middle East At its height, 90 million people lived in the Roman Empire It evolved from a monarchy to a democratic republic to a military dictatorship and then was finally ruled by emperors One of the most well-known Roman leaders is Julius Caesar, famously assassinated in 44BC He is largely credited for his military mind and laying the foundations for the Roman Empire The spread of the Roman Empire into Britain in around 55 BC has had a lasting impact on our lives today Latin, straight roads, underfloor heating and the spread of Christianity are all attributed to the Romans
The Mainichi
01-07-2025
- Science
- The Mainichi
Tokyo Univ. team may have unearthed 1st Roman emperor's bathhouse
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Researchers from the University of Tokyo have unearthed what may be an ancient villa they believe belonged to the first Roman emperor, Augustus. What appear to be five large furnaces -- presumed to have served as boilers to heat an enormous bath -- were discovered in the ruins of an ancient Roman building in southern Italy, drawing keen interest from the archaeological community due to it being an exceptionally rare find. The researchers point out that Augustus, who boasted immense power as the founder of the Roman Empire, may have used the building as a guesthouse featuring a luxurious public bathhouse, or thermae, for entertaining influential people. The 3,650-square-meter ruins were buried beneath volcanic ash at the Somma Vesuviana site located at the northern foot of Mount Vesuvius, the volcano that erupted in 79 AD and destroyed the ancient city of Pompeii. The research team headed by Mariko Muramatsu, professor of Italian studies at the university, began an archaeological survey in 2002. Since 2019, the team has excavated to about 15 meters below the surface, where they discovered the remains of five circular furnaces -- each about 1.4 meters in width -- lying in a row in a stratum dated to earlier than the mid-first century. The ruins are in an area once ruled by the Augustus family. Researchers say the discovery may strengthen the case that the villa belonged to Augustus, despite the lack of conclusive evidence. "There has never been a case where five large furnaces have been excavated from an Italian site. It makes sense as an explanation that no one else but the emperor could make such a magnificent feat possible," said Muramatsu. Through a process of elimination based on the size and design of the furnaces, it was ruled out that they had been used for cooking, firing earthenware or for heating rooms -- leaving a bathhouse as the remaining working theory. "The furnaces are the same shape as water heaters. It is almost certain that they were used to heat a large amount of water for a huge bath facility," said Masanori Aoyagi, former commissioner of the Agency for Cultural Affairs and professor emeritus at the University of Tokyo, who served as the first project head of the research team. Another piece of evidence supporting the team's theories is the fact that the site is located more than 200 kilometers from Rome. As the successor to the assassinated Julius Caesar, Augustus quelled a civil war and gained immense power, but the citizens of Rome were wary of him becoming a dictator. Aoyagi believes "Augustus built a guesthouse with a huge bath beyond Roman citizens' scrutiny in a bid to show his greatness to aristocrats and military officers and have them feel the Pax Romana (Roman peace) in the bath." In ancient Rome, thermae served as centers for interacting across social status, and the remains of huge bathhouses built by later emperors, such as Caracalla, can still be seen in the city. The remains of the five furnaces may soon be ranked equally with past thermae discoveries, Muramatsu suggested. The research team has already begun excavations on the south side of the furnace remains, and if the thermae theory holds water, they should find the remnants of a luxurious bathing pool in the vicinity of the furnaces. Mari Yamazaki, known for her award-winning manga series "Thermae Romae" about ancient Rome, said, "If the first emperor's villa had a luxurious bathhouse, it may have served as a reference in the design of bathhouses in later generations." She added, "I hope that the exciting discovery of bath cultures that connect ancient and modern times will continue." The University of Tokyo is soliciting donations for the continuation of the archaeological dig.
