Nothing remains of the marbles, only the holes for the clamps that fixed the marble cladding to the walls; the floor is buried, but it is likely that the imprints of the opus sectile described by Pirro Ligorio remained in the mortar.

The Hall of the Philosophers owes its present name to the seven niches in the apse, as many as the Seven Wise Men. For centuries, it was mistakenly thought that it was a Library, and in the seven niches there were wooden cabinets to store papyrus and manuscripts.

This is a typical «copy and paste» of scholars just sitting at their desks; for those who know the Villa from real and make on-site research and survey, the idea is absurd. The niches are 1.60 m high from the ground, and difficult to access (with a ladder?). A comparison with the reconstruction of small Library – as he one in the Imperial Palace in Villa Adriana – is enough to prove it: the niches for the cabinets were at human height, comfortable and accessible.

In the seven niches of the Hall of the Philosophers, the imprints of the marble slabs can still be seen in the mortar, and no trace of shelves; so they were meant for large statues.
Nothing is known about the sculptures, Pirro Ligorio does not mention them; they could be those found by Michilli in the nearby Cento Camerelle (Hundred Chambers) including a statue restored as Flora in the 18th century, that today is in the Capitoline Museum of Rome. Otherwise they could represent members of the Imperial House.

The Hall of Philosophers is located in an intermediate position between the "public" part of the Villa, that is, the large Poecile square, and the "private" part, that is, the Maritime Theatre and the Imperial Palace.
The main entrance opens towards the north with two columns on the area in front. On the west side there is another entrance, with two twin staircases that came up from the double portico of the Poecile. And finally on the east side there was a corridor closed by a large door, which led to the Maritime Theatre and the private area of ​​the Villa.

Having discarded the theory that it was a Library, it is equally unlikely that it was a «waiting room for guests». The precious decoration with red porphyry, the presence of statues, the monumental architecture suggests instead that it was a majestic Throne Room, where the emperor could receive important guests.

The Maritime Theater was next door: as we know it was Hadrian's very private "villa in the Villa", and a particularly large and robust door separated it from the Hall of the Philosophers. It protected the safety and privacy of the emperor, who however was right next door, and could give a hearing at any time.

SEE: Marina De Franceschini, Villa Adriana. Mosaici, pavimenti, edifici. Roma 1991, pp. 199-201 e 487-491.