Rome makes major discovery at Emperor Nero's Golden Palace.

The discovery of the room, whose sumptuous frescoes are still intact, occurred by chance in late 2018, according to Italian news agency ANSA.

Archaeologists had been carrying out restoration work at Nero's palace on the Colle Oppio hill overlooking the Colosseum when they noticed an opening in the wall of one of the rooms.

By torch-light, they entered the hidden vault, decorated with frescoes of panthers, centaurs, sphinxes, exotic birds and the god Pan.

The exceptional discovery follows the recent opening of the Domus Transitoria, Nero's first palace on the Palatine Hill.

Nero replaced the Domus Transitoria with the magnificent Domus Aurea following the Great Fire of Rome in 64 AD, during which the emperor was said to "have fiddled while Rome burned."

Photo ANSA