Archive · 5 Aug 2026
Possible ancient Roman firefighters' barracks found near Colosseum
A very long time ago, ancient Rome had firefighting teams called the Vigiles, who also kept watch at night.
Digging in a park in Rome, archaeologists found an old building from around 1,800 years ago.
The building has beautiful floor pictures, called mosaics, and colourful painted ceilings.
One mosaic shows a dolphin, a fish, a lobster, and a crab around a big vase.
A very similar mosaic was found before in the firefighters' building in Ostia, another town nearby.
Because of this, some scientists think the new building was where Rome's firefighters lived and worked.
The building might even be part of the barracks of the Fifth Cohort of the Vigiles.
Other scientists think it could instead be the fancy home of a rich family.
More digging and careful study will help answer this puzzle.
Archaeologists in Rome uncovered a second-century building with mosaics and frescoes near the Colosseum.
The building may have been barracks used by the Vigiles, the firefighters of ancient Rome.
The mosaic, depicting a dolphin, fish, lobster and crab around a two-handled vase, resembles one from a firefighters' barracks in Ostia.
An alternative hypothesis is that the building was a patrician residence, or domus, common atop the Caelian Hill.
The excavation, covering five of eight rooms in Villa Celimontana park, was funded by EU post-COVID economic recovery funds.
- Who
- Archaeologists from Rome's archaeological office (the superintendency), which announced the discovery.
- What
- Uncovered a second-century building with mosaics and frescoes near the Colosseum, possibly barracks of ancient Roman firefighters.
- When
- Announced on Wednesday, August 5, according to the article's dateline.
- Where
- Villa Celimontana park on the Caelian Hill, near the Colosseum in Rome, Italy.
- Why
- To learn about the building's purpose; if confirmed as barracks, it would help reassess the extent of one of the most important military complexes of imperial Rome.
Barracks of the Vigiles
Patrician residence (domus)
Purpose of the second-century building
Barracks of the Vigiles
The building likely belonged to the barracks of the Fifth Cohort of the Vigiles, Rome's firefighting force, because its mosaic closely resembles one found in a firefighters' barracks in Ostia.
Patrician residence (domus)
The building was likely a patrician residence, or domus, similar to many others found atop the Caelian Hill, a view supported by its sophisticated decorations.
- Location
- Villa Celimontana park, Caelian Hill, Rome, near the Colosseum
- Period
- Second century AD (Roman Empire)
- Structure
- Eight rooms, with five fully excavated
- Mosaic
- Dolphin, fish, lobster and crab around a large two-handled vase
- Main hypothesis
- Barracks of the Fifth Cohort of the Vigiles, the firefighters of ancient Rome
- Alternative hypothesis
- Patrician residence, or domus
- Comparable site
- Firefighters' barracks in Ostia, ancient port of Rome, about 30 km away
- Funding
- EU post-COVID economic recovery funds