# Ancient Roman structure near Colosseum may be firefighter barracks 2026-08-07T14:11:30+00:00 | World & Diplomacy | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 1 independent outlet Archaeologists in Rome have uncovered a second-century building with mosaics and painted ceilings in Villa Celimontana park, near the Colosseum. Five of eight rooms have been excavated on the Caelian Hill. The Times of India reports that the structure may have been barracks for the Vigiles, the ancient Roman firefighting corps, because a mosaic of a dolphin, fish, lobster and crab closely resembles one found in a known firefighters' barracks in Ostia, 30 km away. However, the building could also be a patrician residence, as similar decorated homes exist on the same hill. The excavation, funded by EU post-COVID recovery funds, will need further study of layout and artefacts to confirm its purpose. Confirming the barracks theory would help map the extent of the Vigiles' network in imperial Rome. ## Coverage - timesofindia.indiatimes.com Tags: Ancient Rome, archaeology, Colosseum, Firefighting, Mosaics, Vigiles Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/ancient-roman-structure-near-colosseum-may-be-firefighter-barracks/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/ancient-roman-structure-near-colosseum-may-be-firefighter-barracks/#story-in-brief Review state: restored archive article, accurate at time of publication, not offered to search indexes.