Villa of Tiberius, Ancient Roman archaeological complex in Sperlonga, Italy
The Villa of Tiberius is a Roman complex on rocky terraces above the sea in Sperlonga, Italy, with residential rooms, service buildings, and a natural cave. The cave opens toward the water and was fitted with artificial pools and a small island in the center.
Tiberius built the villa in 4 AD on land owned by his mother Livia's family. He stayed there from 14 to 27, until a rockfall during a banquet in 26, when Sejanus shielded him, led him to move to Villa Jovis on Capri. The marble sculptures were found in 1957 during construction of the coastal road between Terracina and Gaeta.
The name comes from Emperor Tiberius, who spent time here in the early first century and used the cave as a dining hall. Visitors today still see remnants of the marble decoration and can imagine how Roman guests dined among the sculptures.
Access includes both the archaeological site and the museum, which are close to each other and can be visited in a single loop. The cave is reached by a short path from the main grounds.
An inscription in the cave names three Greek sculptors from Rhodes who also worked on the famous Laocoon group. The sculptures show episodes from the Odyssey, including the blinding of Polyphemus and the theft of the Palladium.
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