Once-in-a-century discovery in Pompeii reveals life of Roman elite

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The site was exposed in a large Roman villa and would have allowed its wealthy owner to socialize with friends, establish professional relationships, solicit support from voters, and demonstrate their social standing.

In a dining hall lavishly decorated, guests would be able to enjoy a long, hot soak before attending a banquet.

The people who survived the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in AD 79.

The complex could accommodate around 30 people and featured baths with temperatures in the hot, warm, and cool ranges, including a hot water bath, a warm water bath, and a cold plunge pool.

The owner's identity remains unknown, but they were likely a "significant local figure" as stated by archaeologists.

The bathhouse was likely used by the proprietor "to win votes or gain favor with guests", according to Gabriel Zuchtriegel, director of the Pompeii archaeological park.

It was decorated in a way that would have suggested the "culture, learning, and carefree leisure" that was characteristic of ancient Rome, he said.

Prof. Zuchtriegel added: “Members of Pompeii's ruling class built enormous spaces in their homes to host grand banquets. These spaces served the purpose of forging consensus, supporting election campaigns, and making business deals. It was also a way for them to showcase their wealth and indulge in a luxurious thermal experience.”

He said that the complex appeared to be incredibly well-preserved, as if the owner and their family had "only just stepped away a moment ago".

Archaeologists discovered the bath compound in Regio IX, a part of Pompeii that continues to show us what daily life was like for both rich and poor Romans.

The private spa is remarkable for its size and elaborate decoration, making it one of only three others of its kind found in the buried city, according to the archaeologists.

Over the past few years, archaeologists have made a number of significant discoveries in Pompeii as their excavations have expanded.

In the same area, they discovered evidence of a laundry and bakery, along with the skeletons of three people who died when Vesuvius erupted, spewing ash and superheated volcanic gas over Pompeii and nearby Herculaneum.

They discovered paintings on the walls showing mythological scenes with centaurs, sirens, and griffins, as well as the Roman gods Apollo, Venus, and Bacchus.

depicted in artwork drawn by children of gladiators, indicating that elementary school age Roman kids also watched these contests.

Experts believe that the charcoal drawings were created by youngsters around five to seven years old.

The stick drawings show two gladiators, one with a shield and a sword, facing off against each other. In the background, two "bestiarii," professional hunters who put on performances for the crowds, use lances to urge forward two wild boars.

Pompeii had its own amphitheater, similar to Roman structures like the Colosseum, where events like gladiator battles and animal hunts were held.