News - Huge ancient mosaic with military themed images discovered in heart of Rome

A massive mosaic, dating back 2,000 years, was recently uncovered in the heart of Rome, shedding light on the artistic sensibilities of ancient elites, the Miami Herald reports. The mosaic was found adorning a wall in a ruined villa, according to a news release from the Italian Ministry of Culture. The villa sits atop the Palatine Hill, a district in the city center—near the Roman Forum—that was once occupied by the ruling class, officials said. Located in the villa’s banquet hall, the mosaic is composed of Egyptian tiles, marble flakes, glass, and seashells. It depicts a variety of objects that conjure the military might of Rome, including tridents, trumpets and trireme ships. Also pictured is a sweeping landscape distinguished by city walls, towers, and farmland. The mosaic may have been intended to represent a military conquest undertaken by the villa’s owner, undoubtedly an aristocrat and likely one of senatorial rank, officials said. The mosaic was dated to about 200 B.C., a time when the Roman Republic ruled over vast territories in the Mediterranean world, including parts of the Middle East and North Africa.