A bridge built by the Roman emperor Nero that is usually submerged under the waters of the Tiber River has been revealed as an archaeological treasure due to the severe dry spell.
The stone remains of the Pons Neronianus have been exposed due to the low water levels of the Tiber.
Nero, who ruled as the Roman Empire's fifth emperor from A.D. 54 to 68, was a controversial ruler who built public structures and won military victories abroad, but also neglected politics and focused on the arts, music and chariot races. The Golden Palace, built in the center of Rome after the great fire, drained Rome's finances. He killed his mother and at least one of his wives and struggled to rebuild Rome after a huge fire ravaged the city. After being declared a public enemy by the Roman senate, Nero took his own life.
The remains of this bridge can be seen in the past due to low water levels. It is not certain if this bridge was built by Nero.
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When the water level of the Tiber falls, the remains of the Roman bridge can be seen.
The bridge may have been built before Nero's rule, according to multiple sources. Nicholas Temple, professor of architectural history at London Metropolitan University, said in an email that the Pons Neronianus was probably a reconstruction of an earlier crossing.
The name Pons Neronianus is only found in the 12th century catalogues of Rome's monuments. It's true that Nero had extensive gardens and properties in the vicinity of the Vatican, and so a bridge would have given easy access to these.
Scholars told Live Science that the bridge was built on a bad site.
Rabun Taylor, a classics professor at the University of Texas at Austin, told Live Science that the bridge is a terrible idea. Taylor said that the banks of the river bends are prone to losing contact with bridge abutments that connect the bridge to the ground.
It's possible that Nero's bridge was destroyed by the mid- 200s A.D., less than two centuries after he died. According to Taylor's research, the bridge was dismantled at that time and the stone piers were reassembled to make a new bridge.
Rome was connected to an area that did not have much development at the time. One side of the river had a drained wetlands that was used to organize military parades, while the other side had large houses that were connected to the Vatican. Mary Boatwright, a professor of classical studies at Duke University, told Live Science that the Vatican area was mostly private until the fire of 64. It wasn't until the 130s A.D. that the area began to develop.
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Temple argued that the bridge was important for Rome. Temple said that the Pons Neronianus was important. Roman troops were likely to march in a victory parade on one side of the bridge. The Pons Neronianus and any bridge that preceded it may have been used as a bridge crossing for the procession.
Temple said that the crossing may have been used by St. Peter when he was taken in chains after his crucifixion.
The crossing point into Rome of triumphal armies and in the opposite direction for St. Peter's journey to the site of crucifixion is known as the Pons Neronianus.
It is possible that the remains of the bridge will become visible more often as a result of climate change. Boatwright said that he would rather it be submerged and Italy not be threatened with a dry spell.
It was originally published on Live Science
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