Drought Reveals Emperor Nero's Bridge Beneath Rome's Tiber River

Weeks without rain have caused Italy's Tiber River to fall to unusually low levels, revealing the remains of an ancient Roman bridge near the Vatican. Traditionally known as Nero's bridge, archaeologists believe the structure may actually date back to the reign of Emperor Caligula.

The remains of an ancient Roman bridge have resurfaced from the Tiber as water levels in Rome fall sharply after weeks without rain.

The bridge, traditionally known as Pons Neronis, or Nero's bridge, is located near St Peter's Basilica. Archaeologists say the structure may actually be older than Emperor Nero's reign.

Antonella Bonini, an archaeologist at Rome's cultural heritage superintendence, explains the history of the bridge: “The bridge passes near the villa of Agrippina, the circus of Caligula and then the circus of Nero and traditionally takes the name of Nero, because objectively Nero is the most famous person linked to this area.

"The bridge, however, is considered by scholars to be older (than Nero’s era), built by Caligula, Nero's uncle, to connect the villa of Agrippina, who was Caligula's mother, on the other side, currently roughly corresponding to the Santo Spirito Hospital (near the Vatican) and we assume that it already existed in 39 AD.”