“This is the only villa of this kind in the area where he most certainly was born,’’ the archeologist said in a telephone interview from Cittareale.
The first-century residence featured “a well-preserved huge floor, decorated with luxurious marble,’’ he said.
“It’s clear that such things could only belong to someone with a high social position and wealth. And in this place, it was the Flavians,’’ the dynasty to which Vespasian belonged.
The four-year excavation, which also turned up other ruins, including a necropolis, was conducted by a group of Italian and British archeologists.
Vespasian, whose full name was Titus Flavius Vespasianus, brought stability to the empire following turmoil under the extravagant Emperor Nero and a civil war among his successors.
Born in 9 AD into a family of low-tier country nobility, Vespasian rose through the army ranks, becoming the general in charge of putting down a Jewish revolt in Judea. After being acclaimed emperor by his troops in 69 AD, Vespasian found Rome facing economic crisis and still recovering from the fire that consumed it under Nero.
Using riches plundered from Jerusalem and raising taxes, he launched a public works program and built the Colosseum.
