Deepening :

The Ancient Villa of Tiberius’ Grotto

One of the most eccentric and controversial Roman emperors chose to have part of his magnificent summer villa by using the large grotto at the end of the beach. The structure was the brainchild of emperor Tiberius (42 BC – 37 AD). Dark and mysterious personality, Tiberius was an unsociable military man, hardly ever popular in Rome seeking an early retirement trying to escape major responsibilities. A well documented chronicle recounts of a real incident recorded by both well known Roman characters Suetonius and Tacitus in a day of October, 26 BC, well over 2000 years ago’: Tiberius was holding one of his frequent great feasts and while the banquet was in progress in the natural cave, the entrance collapsed suddenly and several servants and fellow festers died buried under the grotto’s falling rocks. According to the chronicles ‘the emperor himself was saved by the timely intervention of one his friends.

Including a natural grotto in your seaside luxury villa is remarkable enough, but as Roman emperor Tiberius’ luxuries included also natural springs right inside the cave. This allowed the incredible residence to have a fish pond and a triclinium decorated with massive sculptures based on the already existing ancient legend of Ulysses’ adventures during his journey. The large fishpond, still existing today, was fed by the natural springs and included a complex system for lifting water from the salt water lake with several compartments and areas in which fish were able to breed. Tiberius’ chronicles recounts of huge platters of food floated across the artificial ponds. Today’s visitors can still observe the lustrous and slow-moving carps which swim freely here.

The sculptures found during the excavations have been partially recomposed and are exhibited since 1963 in the Museo Archeologico Nazionale (National Archaeological Museum) at the entrance of the excavations. They represent the portrayals of Polyphemus blinding and Scylla’s attack on Ulysses’ ship with the mythic part-human, part-eel monster abducting Ulysses' shipmates as well as other depicting the abduction of Palladiun and Ulysses with the body of Achilles.

It is believed that the statue groupings were positioned in and among the circular and rectangular basins used for breeding fish and plants in a semi-saltwater habitat; they're still trying to determine whether the sculptures are Greek originals or Roman copies. The museum's existence is a great achievement for the local population. Late in 1950s, the people of Sperlonga’s, fearing that the statues would never be returned, physically prevented their removal to Rome for examination.