Archaeologists have discovered interesting information about the lives of the most prominent Roman statesmen. Until now, little was known about the private life of the Roman elite; mainly their great political and military successes were mentioned.
Scientists conducted detailed studies on a large estate in Vagnari, Italy. There were found traces of wine production on a large scale. This sheds a whole new light on the private lives of great Roman leaders in the privacy of their homes.
Researchers found a fragment of cella vinaria – a chamber where the wine was fermented and stored. The wine was in special vessels, the so-called defossa dolia, which were firmly embedded in the substrate. They were heavy and bulky and could hold over 1000 litres. Up to the neck, the vessels were underground to maintain a low and constant temperature of the wine – essential for a warm climate.
Vagnari is located in the Basentello River Valley in southeastern Italy. The described areas were taken over by Roman emperors and transformed into imperial lands at the beginning of the 1st century CE.
