The Villa of Quintius Hortensius

The orator Quintus Hortensius was famous for his passion for the vivarium of moray eels; even Cicerone gave the owner of the villa the nickname of “Triton” or “ Fish Charmer”. This villa then passed to Antonia, Druso’s wife and Emperor Claudio’s mother. She enlarged it by having new fish-pools built and filled them with moray eels. It is said that hosts of visitors, even from Rome, came here attracted by a moray eel with gold earrings.