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Journalism of Courage
Not only was Nero a Roman emperor,it turns out he may also have been the father of the revolving restaurant. Archaeologists unveiled on Tuesday what they think are the remains of Neros extravagant banquet hall,a circular space that rotated to imitate the Earths movement and impress his guests.
The room,part of Neros Golden Palace,a sprawling residence built in the first century AD,is thought to have been built to entertain government officials and VIPs,said lead archaeologist Francoise Villedieu.
The emperor,known for his lavish and depraved lifestyle,was born in 37 AD and ruled from 54 AD to 68 AD.
This cannot be compared to anything that we know of in ancient Roman architecture, Villedieu told reporters.
She said the location of the discovery atop the Palatine Hill,the rotating structure and references to it in ancient biographies of Nero make the attribution to the emperor most likely.
The partially excavated site is part of the sumptuous residence,which rose over the ruins of a fire that destroyed much of Rome in AD 64. The purported main dining room,with a diameter of over 50 feet,rested upon a 13-foot wide pillar and four spherical mechanisms that,likely powered by a constant flow of water,rotated the structure.
