Baiae was the ancient world's Las Vegas, a hub of debauchery and vice located around 18 miles (30 km) from Naples.
Was Baiae the Roman Sodom? Renowned for its hedonistic lifestyle, Baiae was the ancient world's Las Vegas, a hub of debauchery and vice located around 18 miles (30 km) from Naples. The elite of Rome gathered here, indulging in whims and beach parties where wine and entertainment were abundant. Moralists like Seneca condemned the city's refined yet depraved lifestyle, while Cicero called it "Rome in miniature," deeming it a place of vice. Today, its ruins lie underwater in an archaeological park accessible by glass-bottom boats, snorkeling, or diving. Beyond this park, Roman ruins such as the Temples of Mercury, Venus, and Diana attract visitors. Baiae was also famed for its therapeutic hot springs. Many Roman figures, including Nero, Cicero, Caligula, and Caesar, frequented and built villas here. Sacked by a Muslim army in the 8th century and abandoned by 1500, the city's ruins now rest beneath the bay's shallow waters, submerged due to Volcanic.