We are at Tivoli28 kilometers from Romein the majestic Hadrian’s Villawhere a team of archaeologists from Pablo de Olavid Universityand brought to light something truly unique. We’re talking about a aquatic tricliniuma banquet hall surrounded by water, designed specifically to impress the guests of Emperor Hadrian. Yes, because Villa Adriana is not just a villa: it is a kind of kingdom of its own, where Hadrian experimented with architecture, mixing luxury and nature like a modern interior designer with delusions of grandeur.
During the recent excavation campaign, which ended in September, archaeologists focused on the central portico of the Palace, an area that once housed the emperor’s first residence. And here this spectacular triclinium emerged: a central platform on three sides, surrounded by a basin of water, which at the time must have looked just like something out of a dream. Imagine: you feasted on a platform, with your feet almost soaking, surrounded by the reflection of Carrara marble and other precious imperial marbles. A touch of class that still leaves us speechless today.
A triclinium you don’t expect
It’s not just water that makes the difference. It’s also about the dimensions: compared to the normal triclinia of the time, this one appears intimate and intimate, perhaps designed only for Adriano and two guests. VIP stuff before its time, in short. And that’s not all: here water was entrusted with an almost symbolic task. A bit like saying “here time stops, and your thoughts slip away as light as water”. Almost a private spa, but for souls.
The professor Rafael Hidalgowho is leading the project, said that finding two aquatic triclinia on the same site is a rare discovery, adding an important piece to the puzzle of Hadrianic architecture. Because yes, Villa Adriana is not a villa like the others. It is a kind of continuous experiment, an architectural laboratory where the symbolism of water plays a leading role.
It was 2003 when UPO set foot in Villa Adriana. And today, together with teams from Oxford and Columbia, it is one of the very few groups authorized to excavate this UNESCO World Heritage site. The latest excavation campaign was possible thanks to the support of the CSIC and the collaboration with the Autonomous Institute of Villa Adriana and Villa d’Este. The team is made up not only of Spanish professors and students, but also of young archaeologists from Roma Tre: an exchange of culture and knowledge that demonstrates how much love for art and history unites, overcoming borders and languages.
