On the occasion of the Jubilee of 2000, the area in front of the Cento Camerelle was excavate by the Archaeological Superintendency of Latium, discovering a double road nework.
A first paved service road, relatively narrow, for the slaves only, ran alongside the Hundred Chambers and ended in a tunnel that leads to a series of subterranean cryptoporticoes, located under the Vestibule and the Great and Small Baths.
The paved road for slaves alongside the Hundred Chambers.
At the end the tunnel entering the subterranean routes
A dividing wall separated this first road from the second road, which was the main access to the Villa on this side: it is a large rectangular paved roadway in the shape of a ring, of great scenographic effect, which reached up to the monumental staircase that led to to the Vestibule.
From there there was no access to the Pecile, but only to the Canopus, so we must think that this entrance was intended for the guests that the emperor received in that grandiose summer triclinium.
The Paved Ring seen from the Vestibule. In the background and on the right
the Cento Camerelle with the Poecile esplanade above
(For these works see Rinaldi 2000 and Mari 2001).