The excavations in Rome Piazza Venezia for the new underground C Line have brought to light traces of important archaeological remains that have galvanized researchers of Ancient Roman history. In a corner of the vast square (where Mussolini made his rabble-rousing speeches from a balcony in nearby Palazzo Venezia), the remains of what archaeologists believe to be the Athenaeum of the philosopher emperor Hadrian, built in 133 AD, have been uncovered.
Hadrian constructed the school, based on the model he had seen in the Temple of Athena at Athens, to hold performances and debates by poets, philosophers, orators and men of letters.
The discovery of two monumental flights of steps, facing each other across a rectangular paved space to form seating arrangements for spectators , have led experts to believe that this was, in fact, the long-lost Athenaeum. The building was not documented on the ancient Forma Urbis (the town plan of Rome dating from 203-211 AD) and all trace of the auditorium had been lost Up till now, the area was covered by a garden with pine trees that was cleared last year by diggers to create a future underground station.
