| Kentucky's scenic Lake Cumberland, with its 1,255 | | | | used the same tunnel to drain the lake over a |
| miles of shoreline, is one of the houseboating vacation | | | | three-year period and expose the historic ships. |
| capitals of the modern world. Surrounded by | | | | The Nemi ships, as they are known, are the two |
| picturesque rolling hills, deep forests and waterfalls, | | | | largest Roman ships ever discovered and feature |
| over 1,500 houseboats cruise the quiet waters and | | | | craftsmanship and new technology that astounded |
| explore the intimate nooks and coves of the | | | | historians. The ships, an oared galley and a sailing |
| hundred-mile-long lake. | | | | vessel, each measured approximately 240 feet long |
| Nearly 2,000 years ago, Lake Nemi, a small, volcanic | | | | and were lavishly decorated with mosaic floors, marble |
| lake near Rome, Italy, was the houseboating capital of | | | | columns and bronze statues. Other artifacts |
| the Holy Roman Empire and home to two lavish, | | | | uncovered included a bronze lion, leopard and fox |
| recreational pleasure boats belonging to the notorious | | | | heads. |
| Roman Emperor Caligula. Even though the ships were | | | | After nearly 1,900 years at the bottom of Lake Nemi, |
| deliberately pillaged and sunk soon after the unpopular | | | | Caligula's pleasure craft were finally rescued. Inside a |
| emperor's assassination, their existence subsequently | | | | frame building, teams of historians and archaeologists |
| captured the imagination of historians, archaeologists | | | | began a scholarly study of the remarkable ships' |
| and, in particular, a 15th century Catholic cardinal during | | | | artifacts. The thrill of discovery was short-lived when, a |
| the Renaissance and a 20th century Italian dictator | | | | mere decade later, the ships and the museum that |
| named Benito Mussolini. | | | | displayed them burned down amidst the chaos of |
| Digging up the truth | | | | World War II. |
| Through the centuries, Emperor Caligula's floating | | | | Today a Lake Nemi museum tells the story of |
| palaces were the stuff of legends and buried treasure. | | | | Caligula's extravagant houseboats and displays scale |
| Lake Nemi fishermen claimed they could see the ships' | | | | models, architectural drawings and rare artifacts that |
| ghostly underwater outlines. | | | | survived the fire. Outside, a life-size reconstruction of |
| In 1446, fourteen centuries after the ships sunk, the | | | | the sailing ship's hull is on display. |
| Renaissance Cardinal Don Prospero Colonna, Lord of | | | | Meanwhile, back at Lake Cumberland |
| Nemi, took on the daunting task of raising the historic | | | | Throughout recorded history, palatial houseboats have |
| ships; unfortunately, his efforts failed. It would take | | | | been a favorite indulgence of royalty and the very |
| another 500 years before the ships would be | | | | wealthy. In the modern world, luxurious houseboats |
| successfully raised from their watery grave. | | | | have become a favorite vacation getaway for middle |
| Mussolini and the 2,000-year-old tunnel | | | | class families, too, thanks to the availability of |
| In the late 19th-century, the Italian government took | | | | houseboat rentals. |
| charge of private citizens' efforts to salvage the ships. | | | | Throughout recorded history, palatial houseboats have |
| In 1928, Italian dictator Benito Mussolini used ancient | | | | been a favorite indulgence of royalty and the very |
| Roman engineering genius to solve his modern-day | | | | wealthy. In the modern world, luxurious houseboats |
| problem. | | | | have become a favorite vacation getaway for middle |
| The Romans had built a mile-long tunnel to help control | | | | class families, too, thanks to the availability of |
| Lake Nemi's water level and prevent flooding. Mussolini | | | | houseboat rentals. |