The remains of an ancient bridge have emerged from Rome’s Tiber River near St Peter’s Basilica, after weeks with virtually no rain caused water levels to fall sharply.
The structure, known as Nero’s Bridge, once connected Rome’s city centre with the right bank of the Tiber. It is named after the former Roman emperor Nero, whose association with the area is linked to Nero’s circus, where the Vatican is now located.
A bridge older than Nero
Archaeologist Antonella Bonini, of Rome’s cultural heritage superintendency, said the bridge may predate Nero’s reign. Scholars believe it was built by Caligula, Nero’s uncle, and that it existed as early as 39 AD.
“Nero is the most famous person linked to this area, because precisely in Nero’s circus, where the Vatican is now located, the Apostle Peter was martyred,”
Ms Bonini said. She added that scholars consider the bridge to be older than Nero’s era.
Water flow falls below historic average
The Tiber’s flow has dropped below 80 cubic metres per second, according to Giovanni Giganti, coordinator of Rome’s civil protection service centre for water management. That is about half the historic average for July.
“We are facing a major water crisis. And it is a crisis that is also due to the fact that this winter we did have quite abundant rainfall, but then the dry periods … were quite long,”
Mr Giganti said.
The emergence of the ruins follows a period of prolonged dry weather in the Italian capital. The report was published on 13 August 2026 by the Associated Press for the Belfast Telegraph’s County Armagh News page, but the event itself took place in Rome and has no stated connection to Armagh.
