Baiae, named for the legendary Odysseus's helmsman, was an opulent ancient city located in what is now Campania, Italy. First mentioned by name in the second century BCE, it was known as a popular seaside resort in ancient Rome due in part to its sulfur springs and mild climate, as well as its location along the shore of what is now the Gulf of Puteoli. In her article for the BBC, Adrienne Bernhard describes Baiae as "the Las Vegas of the Roman Empire" due to the extravagance of what remains of the city: heated bathing pools, sprawling villas, and even a casino. Many famous persons of the ancient world visited or lived there, including Cicero, Virgil, Pliny the Younger, and emperors Claudius, Nero, Julius Caesar, Caesar Augustus, and Hadrian (the last of whom died there). In addition, Baiae - along with its neighboring town, Cumae - was known for hosting a sybil, or prophetess, who reportedly lived in a cave nearby and wrote the fabled Sybilline Books, which allegedly detailed the...