Published on September 11, 2026
Photo by Filippo Monteforte/AFP/Getty Images
What may be the largest ancient Roman wall mosaic ever found has been open to the public for limited viewing. Roberto Gualtieri, the mayor of Rome, unveiled the 1st-century CE mosaic, along with a fresco discovered at the same time, in the city this week.
The artworks were first identified during excavations in the 1990s at the Baths of Trajan, located on Oppio Hill near the Colosseum, but never fully uncovered until now. Dedicated by Roman emperor Trajan in 109 CE, the baths were an enormous leisure complex that extended over 15 acres and featured areas for cultural activities and sports as well as bathing pools.
Occupying an underground gallery beneath the baths, the mosaic measures 33 feet high and over 50 feet across. In its original state it may have been even bigger; its uppermost section was cut off when the Baths of Trajan were built, while its base has yet to be fully excavated.
