Las Vegas has earned the dubious nickname ‘Sin City’, but long before it existed the ancient Romans had their own destination dedicated to debauchery.
Italy’s sunken ‘Sin City’: The lost Roman paradise where emperors indulged in luxury and excess
Millions of people travel to Las Vegas each year where they can indulge in activities and entertainment around the clock that isn’t readily available, nor legal in some cases, in other cities. This permissiveness has earned Las Vegas the nickname ‘Sin City’.
But long before Bugsy Seigel transformed a desert oasis railroad stop into the mecca of gambling and carnal vices, the Romans had their own version west of Naples. The coastal city of Baia was where the rich and powerful of Rome would go to fulfil their whims and desires, attracted by the mild weather and the medicinal thermal spas.
The Roman ‘Sin City’ that now lies beneath the waves
Baia was already a popular party destination by end of the 2nd century B.C. Over the years, such famous Romans as Cicero, Pliny, Nero, and Caesar would vacation there and some built their own opulent villas in the area. Reportedly Cleopatra made her escape back to Egypt after the murder of Julius Caesar from the hedonistic resort town.
The hot springs that made Baia a prominent resort city are thanks to the numerous volcanic vents beneath the ground that dot the landscape. However, they are also responsible for the Roman ‘Sin City’ disappearing from the collective consciousness for several centuries.
Baia is located in what is known as the Phlegraean Fields (Campi Flegrei), a vast caldera that is part of a super volcano. As magma pushes up into the area, the land rises. But when it retreats, the land subsides. This has caused the land the city is located on to rise and fall so that sometimes it is above the sea level and sometimes below.
Currently most of Baia it is below the sea level, but ariel photography in the 1940s revealed that there was a structure just below the surface of the sea. This prompted an archaeological investigation, resulting in more and more being found. Additionally, marble statues and intricate mosaics were discovered. The site is now the world’s largest underwater museum.
Thousands of tourists visit each year to view the submerged ruins via scuba diving or snorkelling, or in glass-bottom boats. However, once again the volcano in the area appears to be stirring, and there is talk of closing the area to visitors.
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