Baiae, submerged town
A Roman resort on the Gulf of Naples where the wealthiest Romans and many emperors built villas. Volcanic ground movement in the Phlegraean Fields lowered the land, and by the 8th century the lower town lay under the sea; since 2002 its streets, baths and villas are a protected underwater park.
Dated events and their evidence
- 80 BCE mainstream
around 80 BC Baiae becomes a fashionable resort of the Roman aristocracy; Marius, Lucullus and Pompey frequent it, and Julius Caesar has a villa there source - 138 CE mainstream
the emperor Hadrian dies at his villa in Baiae source - 750 CE mainstream
by the 8th century bradyseism, the slow rise and fall of the volcanic ground, has largely submerged the lower town source - 1969 CE mainstream
a high-quality marble sculpture group is found 7 m deep off Punta Epitaffio, leading to the excavation of the triclinium-nymphaeum of Claudius source - 2002 CE mainstream
the underwater protected areas are established, with mosaics, frescoes, sculptures and roads about 5 m below sea level source
Where
40.8237° N, 14.0862° E
The point is OpenStreetMap's position for the Parco Archeologico Sommerso di Baia, the underwater archaeological park.
Sources
Each event carries Aion's own evidence grade (mainstream, disputed or speculative). This page repeats what the globe shows for this place.