Extreme drought brings out underwater ruins of an ancient bridge in Rome!

While most parts of the world are receiving heavy rainfalls, there’s a region in Rome, Italy, that is suffering from a severe drought situation. However, the drought has unveiled an ancient Roman prized possession, the Bridge of Nero. The ruins of the archaeological treasure are in clear view as the water level of Tiber River has fallen extremely low due to continuous heat waves and no rain.

The bridge was built by Roman emperor Nero, during his reign between AD 54 and AD 68. The river had swallowed the iconic bridge long back but then, miracles can happen anytime. The bridge has reappeared now and can be seen right under another iconic bridge in Rome, the Vittorio Emmanuele II.
Nero was the fifth Roman empire, who committed sucide at the age of 30. He took the decision of ending his life after he was declared a public enemy by the Roman Senate. The origins of the bridge are uncertain and, as per historians, it might have existed in the region before Nero and was probably a reconstruction of an earlier crossing.

As far as the bridge is concerned, it is also known as Pons Neronianus and has appeared in the heart of Rome, close to the Castel Sant’Angelo and the Vatican. However, this is not the first time that the bridge has appeared. People have seen it before when the water levels have dropped very low.

Robert Coates-Stephens, an archaeologist at the British School at Rome, said, “The remains of this Roman bridge are visible whenever the water level of the Tiber falls, therefore whenever there are lengthy periods — like now — of very low rainfall.”