The November 17 episode of the PBS series Secrets of the Dead follows along with Timmy Gambin, an underwater archaeologist at the Aurora Trust, as he investigates a handful of Roman shipwrecks off the Mediterranean island of Ventotene.
Recovery of Roman wine amphora from 1st century BC. Photo by Rob Hartel
Ventotene, called Pandataria by the Romans, is located some 43 nautical miles from Naples. It was first colonized by the first Roman emperor, Caesar Augustus, who built a villa and a port on the island in the first century BC.
The diving expedition gets a look at four shipwrecks, each of them 300 or more feet underwater. The episode focuses on several aspects of Roman economy, including cookware, pier construction, water control and the famous fish sauce called garum. It also shines light into the life of Caesar's daughter Julia, exiled by her father to Ventotene in 2 BC, for either adultery or plots against Caesar's empire.
In addition to Gambin, the program features the research of classicist Annelise Freisenbruch, historian Salvatore Sciano, and expert divers from the Aurora Trust and the Italian Carabinieri. Also featured, although not in detail, is the Amphora Project at Southampton University.
The best part of "The Lost Ships of Rome", as far as I'm concerned, is the glimpse into Roman life: trade, food, politics, family, even construction of a huge network of underground tunnels to conduct freshwater to the villa. Amazing stuff!
Roman Port at Ventotene. Photo by Piers Leigh
Narrated by Leiv Schreiber, "Secrets of the Dead: Lost Ships of Rome" airs on Wednesday evening, November 17, 2010. Check local listings.
More Information
- Caesar Augustus information (N.S. Gill, About.com Guide to Ancient History
- Garum , fish sauce to the Romans
- Secrets of the Dead: Lost Ships of Rome, episode guide on PBS
- Ventotene (Aurora Trust)
- Amphora Project (University of Southampton)
Disclosure: A review copy of this video was provided by the publisher. For more information, please see our Ethics Policy.
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