A review of ancient Greek and Roman roses has uncovered evidence that yellow blooms may have grown near Pompeii nearly 2,000 years ago. Researchers examining preserved rose stems from Oplontis, a Roman site near the city, found one fragment closely resembled a species known for yellow flowers, offering a new clue to the varieties grown in local gardens.
The finding comes from a study published in the journal Horticulturae. Researchers combined archaeological remains, ancient writings and paintings to examine how people cultivated and used roses across Greece and Rome.
At Oplontis, the team examined four preserved stem fragments from Villa B. They compared the shape and density of prickles, the pointed growths often called thorns, with samples from 15 rose species. One fragment matched Rosa foetida, which produces yellow flowers, with an estimated 80% probability in one statistical test. The work relied on stem features, not surviving yellow petals.
Ancient rose stems offer a clue, not a final identification
Other comparisons linked the fragment to the Persian variety. The researchers said there was enough evidence to suggest that yellow roses were grown at Oplontis during the first century. But they cautioned that the statistical methods could not reliably identify most of the fragments, leaving the results open to further study.
The possible identification also agrees with an account by Roman agricultural writer Columella, who described “roses of a crimson hue and those of a yellowish tint.” The reference suggests Roman gardeners knew of yellow-flowering roses, although surviving images from that period offer little direct confirmation.
Paintings from Pompeii show several other rose types, including flowers in shades of red, pink, and pale white. The paintings also show striped petals, while ancient accounts describe roses that flowered twice in a year. Pollen and other garden remains suggest rose bushes occupied carefully arranged beds.
Greek and Roman roses reveal more than yellow blooms near Pompeii
The research drew on 286 Greek and Latin texts, along with ancient coins, wall paintings and botanical collections. Writings by Theophrastus, dating to the fourth century B.C., described roses with five, 12, 20 or even 100 petals, suggesting gardeners already recognized wide differences among flowers.
Roses also supported commerce and social life. Growers raised them near cities, where buyers used the flowers for garlands, perfumes, and religious offerings. Paestum, south of Pompeii, was known for varieties that bloomed twice in a year.
The study suggests ancient growers cultivated a wider range of roses than surviving written records alone reveal. Yet the Oplontis stems offer limited evidence, and researchers say identifying more preserved plant material could help sharpen the picture.
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