Amalfi Coast 
The Roman villa of Positano dates back to the 1st century BC. It was first damaged by the earthquake of 62 AD and later buried in 79 AD by a flood, a consequence of the Vesuvius eruption that completely covered the Villa with pyroclastic material.
The archaeologist Matteo Della Corte hypothesized that this luxurious villa belonged to a powerful freedman of Emperor Claudius: Posides Claudi Caesaris. According to this theory, the name Positano derives from “Posidetanum”, meaning “property of Posides.”
The first discoveries date back to the Middle Ages, when precious architectural materials such as columns and marbles were recovered from some accessible areas of the Villa. These materials were then relocated to various areas of Spiaggia Grande (Main Beach) and the Medieval Crypt.
The first official written records date to 1758, when Karl Weber, who supervised the Bourbon excavations, described structures with important frescoes and mosaic floors found beneath the Mother Church and the Bell Tower in Piazza Flavio Gioia. In the early 1900s, a remarkable discovery was made when a local butcher from Positano uncovered portions of this magnificent Roman villa while renovating his shop.
Official excavations, which began in 2004 and lasted about ten years, revealed the villa’s Triclinium (dining room) with its walls adorned in the Fourth Pompeian Style, also known as “perspective illusionism“. These frescoes have remained remarkably well-preserved through the centuries.
The villa, now known as Mar Positano – Roman Archaeological Museum, opened its doors to visitors in August 2018. However, this extraordinary discovery has only revealed a small portion of the villa – just a corner of its most lavishly decorated room. A vast treasure still lies buried beneath, waiting to be restored to its former glory.
For mor information visit the website: www.marpositano.it
