Museum documents the island's Roman history.

A new archaeological museum in Capri charts the rich Roman history of the Italian island at the height of its splendour under the emperors Augustus and Tiberius.

The state-run Museo archeologico di Capri was inaugurated at the end of July at the Charterhouse of San Giacomo, a former Carthusian monastery founded in the 14th century.

The museum houses an exhibition titled The Island of the Caesars. Capri from Augustus to Tiberius, featuring 120 artefacts including marble sculptures, frescoes, ceramics and silver, displayed across eight rooms.

È stato inaugurato, il #26luglio, negli spazi del Quarto del Priore della Certosa di San Giacomo, il nuovo Museo archeologico di Capri “L’Isola dei Cesari. Capri da Augusto a Tiberio”. @museitaliani
Scopri di più: https://t.co/KisMXmdTLO pic.twitter.com/jIqZF949FB

— Ministero della Cultura (@MiC_Italia) July 29, 2024

Ottaviano, later to become Emperor Augustus, first visited Capri in 29 BC and was so taken with the island's beauty that he traded nearby Ischia for it with Naples.

The emperor's successor and stepson Tiberius embarked on an intense building programme on the island between 27 and 37 AD, including the construction of the port and a dozen imperial villas.

The majority of the exhibits at the new museum were discovered on the island and until now were kept in storage in Capri and Naples, with other artefacts coming from the Campania region.

Also on display are ancient treasures seized recently by the Carabinieri art squad including three silver cups returned from the United States and a fresco from the Vesuvian area.