Luxury Roman Villa with Marble Fish Pond Unearthed in Ancient Tripolis, Turkey!
Archaeologists have made an extraordinary find in the ancient city of Tripolis, near Denizli in western Turkey: a remarkably well-preserved Roman villa, revealing the opulent lifestyles of the elite nearly 1,600 years ago.
This impressive villa, unearthed during excavations led by Professor Bahadır Duman of Pamukkale University’s Archaeology Department, offers a fascinating glimpse into Roman life in western Anatolia. The dig has been underway for over a decade as part of the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism’s “Heritage for the Future” project.
Photo Credit: AA Photo
Covering roughly 1,500 square metres, the villa boasts four rooms, two spacious halls, a cistern, two fountains, a 20-metre-long colonnaded gallery, and, perhaps most strikingly, a 40-square-metre marble fish pond. According to Professor Duman, the size and rich decoration of the building set it apart from typical Roman homes in the region.
The villa's walls are adorned from top to bottom with vivid frescoes in shades of yellow, blue, red, and brown. These frescoes, featuring botanical and architectural motifs, reflect traditional Roman artistic themes and offer valuable insight into decorative styles of the time.
Photo Credit: AA Photo
But it’s the large fish pond that’s truly captured the archaeologists' attention. Such features are rarely found in inland Roman residences, making this a particularly unique discovery. Experts believe the pond was used to raise live fish, which would have been served fresh at social gatherings, a real mark of luxury. The presence of marine shells nearby supports this theory, suggesting the pond was both a functional food source and a symbol of wealth and status.
While Roman coastal cities were known for such amenities, finding one so far from the sea speaks volumes about the wealth and sophistication of Tripolis’ elite residents.
This isn’t the first remarkable discovery at the site. Previous excavations have revealed a 1,500-year-old church, a mosaic-covered Roman villa dating back 2,000 years, and various grain depots, workshops, and public buildings, all painting a vivid picture of life in the ancient city.
This latest find only adds to Tripolis’ growing reputation as one of the most significant and well-preserved Roman sites in western Anatolia.