Archaeologists made an exciting discovery during recent excavations in the vicinity of Romes second airport, Ciampino. During soundings for a new building development, a 1 st century BC swimming pool came to light, complete with seven colossal statues illustrating the Greek myth of Niobe.

Although the site had been discovered in the 19 th century, it had never been scientifically explored. Water pipes marked with the name Valerii Messalla have now identified it positively with the ancient Roman millionaire and patron of the arts, Marco Valerio Messalla Corvino, known to have been the patron of poets Ovid, Tibullus and Lygdamus, who concentrated on themes of love, peace and nature. Messallas circle of poets also included a woman, Suplicia the  the only woman Latin poet whose works have survived.

The seven sculptures were part of a larger group depicting the massacre of the 12 sons and 12 daughters of the imprudent Niobe, who had boasted of their beauty and was punished by the gods. It is believed that these surviving statues had fallen into the 20m-long pool during an earthquake in the II century AD and had been miraculously hidden and preserved practically intact under rubble and earth until the present day..