Roman emperor’s home opened to tourists

Rome’s first emperor, Augustus (63 BC to AD 14), was, according to historian Suetonius, a man of modest tastes. Before his ascension to the helm of the Roman Empire, Augustus lived in a house on the Palatine Hill. The remains of his house, which were uncovered during excavations in the 1970s, opened to tourists in early March.

The house consists of four rooms that date from around 30 BC and are noteworthy for their ethereal frescoes, so delicate that only five visitors are allowed to see them at a time. Among them are the Room of the Masks, featuring images from the Roman theater, and the Pine Festooned Room, decorated with a chain of realistic pine cones. Archaeologists believe that the painter was an Egyptian. Admission costs about $17 and includes access to the rest of the Palatine Hill, Roman Forum and Coliseum. The frescoes, considered as remarkable as any found in Herculaneum and Pompeii, can be viewed 11 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. daily.