A remarkable finding has emerged in Italy, where the remains of a luxurious Roman villa have arisen from the waters of Lake Fusaro, which is near Naples. This phenomenon has been attributed to bradyseism, which is a geological process brought about by the movements of magma or hydrothermal fluids beneath the Earth’s surface.
Lake Fusaro is located in the comune of Bacoli in the province of Naples, an area known for its geological volatility. This lake is part of the Phlegraean Fields, a huge volcanic caldera dotted with fumaroles and volcanic structures such as the Solfatara volcano. Bradyseism has, for centuries, affected the region, with ground levels rising and falling periodically, primarily due to subsurface magma movements. Since 2005, the land in this area has risen by approximately 138 centimeters, including a 20-centimeter increase recorded in 2024, according to a study by the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology.
Rapid uplift has led to the retreat of the shoreline and the elevation of the seabed, negatively impacting local ports and marinas. However, it has also uncovered the foundation of a Roman villa, which was previously submerged beneath the lake’s waters. The villa was identified through aerial photography and is under examination by the Superintendence of Archaeology, Fine Arts, and Landscape of Naples.
Josi Gerardo Della Ragione, the Mayor of Bacoli, confirmed the significance of the discovery: “They were under the water! Walls and rooms from the Roman era have been discovered in Lake Fusaro. They probably belonged to a luxurious mansion,” he said. He further speculated that the building presumably had thermal baths, a feature of elite Roman residences.
This region, first settled during the 8th century BCE by Greek colonists, has been shaped by continuous volcanic and seismic activity. As a result, the Greeks named it “Campi Ardenti” or “Campi Flegrei” (the Burning Fields) in recognition of its steaming craters and restless geology.
The area around Lake Fusaro has long been known for its Roman heritage. Nearby, the partially submerged ruins of Baiae remain, an ancient Roman resort town that prospered during the late Republic and early Empire. Baiae was famous for its opulent villas and lavish lifestyle, often frequented by Roman aristocrats and emperors. As the poet Sextus Propertius described it, Baiae was a “vortex of luxury” and a “harbor of vice,” a reputation that has persisted through historical accounts.
Like the newly revealed villa, Baiae also suffered from bradyseism in ancient times, but in a descending phase. As the land lowered, much of it was completely submerged in the waters of the Gulf of Naples. Today, its submerged ruins are a major archaeological attraction, with mosaics and statues still visible underwater.
Not far from Bacoli are the ruins of Pompeii and Herculaneum, two Roman cities tragically buried by the catastrophic eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 CE. While those cities were entombed under layers of volcanic ash and pumice, the recent developments at Lake Fusaro demonstrate how volcanic activity can also bring ancient structures back into view.
Near Bacoli lie the ruins of Pompeii and Herculaneum, two Roman cities buried by the catastrophic eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 CE. The recent discovery at Lake Fusaro demonstrates that an active volcano can sometimes bring ancient structures back into view.
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