NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK—According to a report in NBC News, a four-foot square piece of mosaic thought to have graced a ceremonial ship belonging to Emperor Caligula has been repatriated to Italy. The ships sailed Lake Nemi, which is located about 20 miles south of Rome, and served as a retreat for the emperor during his reign from A.D. 37 to 41. The “floating palaces” were sunk after he was assassinated. In the 1930s, Mussolini drained the lake, and many of the artifacts, including the marble flooring from the ships, were moved to a museum, which was damaged during World War II. Italian authorities believe the flooring was looted from the museum after the war. The mosaic had been held in private hands in New York for the more than 45 years. For more, go to “Rome's Imperial Port.”
