Nearly 2,000 years after a volcanic eruption sent the Roman port city of Aenaria to the sea floor, divers and archaeologists are uncovering the long-lost city beneath the Bay of Cartaromana.
The submerged ruins, hidden under volcanic sediment just off the coast of Ischia in the Gulf of Naples, are slowly emerging through years of underwater excavation.
Researchers believe the city was lost following the eruption of the Cretaio volcano around AD 180. While ancient authors like Pliny the Elder and Strabo mentioned Aenaria, no written accounts detail the event that caused its disappearance.
For centuries, Aenaria remained little more than a name—until scuba divers helped change that.
The island’s early identity tied to Greek settlement
Long before Roman occupation, Ischia was known as Pithecusae (Greek: Πιθηκούσες), founded in the 8th century BC by Greek settlers from Euboea. The island became a center of metallurgy and trade, and its volcanic thermal springs attracted settlers who built some of the earliest spas in the region.
The Greek legacy is well documented through artifacts, kilns, and grave sites. In contrast, Roman traces were scarce, leading archaeologists to believe that volcanic instability had discouraged Roman settlement. Ischia’s identity was always considered Greek. But Aenaria proves the Roman presence was there, just hidden below the surface.
Divers discover the first clues in the 1970s
The first sign of Aenaria came in 1972, when two divers found Roman pottery fragments and lead ingots off Ischia’s eastern shore. The discovery led to an early investigation by priest Don Pietro Monti and archaeologist Giorgio Buchner. However, no further evidence emerged, and the site was closed for decades.
🌊 Beneath the waves off Ischia, Italy, lies the rediscovered Roman city of Aenaria — lost to legend, now rising from the sea.
Once thought mythical, this ancient port reveals mosaics, shipwrecks & Roman villas. Explore it by glass-bottom boat or snorkel through history.… pic.twitter.com/HuymKzyHTd
— Dibya Lochan Mendali (@dlmendali) July 12, 2025
Local sailors and divers reignite exploration
In 2011, a group of local sailors and diving enthusiasts, led by Giulio Lauro of the Marina di Sant’Anna cultural cooperative, restarted the search. Excavating the seabed, they uncovered a Roman quay preserved just two meters beneath the surface. Amphorae, coins, mosaics, and the remains of a wooden ship followed.
“They gave up on finding something in the bay. But we found something,” Lauro said. “We rewrote history.”
Signs of daily life emerge from the seabed
Benini confirmed the site as a Roman settlement with an active port. Artifacts like hair combs, roof tiles, sewing needles, and decorated plaster suggest a nearby residential area. Two villas featuring arched galleries and Roman baths have since been discovered.
Excavations also revealed more than 1,000 mosaic tiles and distinctive herringbone-patterned flooring known as opus spicatum, typically found in Roman shops.
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Recent analyses show Aenaria was well-connected across the Mediterranean. Archaeologists have cataloged 142 types of amphorae from 12 distinct production centers, ranging from Campania and Sicily to the Levant.
Lead used in construction and trade was traced to mining sources in Spain, offering evidence of long-distance commercial ties.
Deep military context of the site
A shipwreck discovered in 2020 deepened the military context of the site. Found near the quay were lead sling bullets and naval hardware, including a bronze mooring post shaped like a swan’s head—a design often used on Roman warships.
Due to seasonal tides, dives only take place from May to October. Funding also limits progress. The researchers hope to use tools like Lidar and Georadar, Benini explained. “That’s expensive. We need more investors.”
Visitors dive into the past
During the active months, visitors can view the ruins on glass-bottom boat tours or go snorkeling and scuba diving near the dig sites. A short 3D film and display of artifacts—such as herringbone tiles and oil lamps—offer context at the cooperative’s small museum.
“What we’ve found is 99% underwater,” Benini said. “It’s like Pompeii: until it was excavated in the 1700s, no one knew it was there. But that doesn’t mean it wasn’t important or didn’t exist.”
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