The Imperial Theater was mentioned in ancient Roman texts but was never found before.
During the reconstruction of the hotel, a few steps from the Vatican, the ruins of the famous building of antiquity – the theater of Emperor Nero were discovered. The theater, mentioned in the ancient Roman texts of the writer and philosopher Pliny the Elder, stood on the site of the current garden of the Palazzo della Rovere.
The Palazzo occupies an entire quarter of Rome along Via della Conciliazione, leading to St. Peter’s Square. Archaeologists have unearthed marble columns and gold-leafed stucco, proving that a theater existed near the Tiber River. Among the finds, there are not only ruins but also glass-colored goblets of the 10th century and various ceramic products.
Antiquities will be transferred to the museum, and the ruins of the theater will be covered up after all research is completed. On the site of the theater, they plan to open a hotel for the anniversary of the Vatican in 2025, when about 30 million tourists and pilgrims will come to Rome.
Nero – Roman emperor from 54 to 68, the last of the Julio-Claudian dynasty. To popularize his figure, the ruler built folk gymnasiums and theaters in which Greek troupes played. Nero loved to sing, composed plays and poems, and enjoyed participating in poetic competitions, as well as in chariot sports.