Villa Poppaea Villa Poppaea The Villa Poppaea is an ancient Roman seaside villa ("villa maritima") situated between Naples and Sorrento, in southern Italy. It is also called the Villa Oplontis or Oplontis Villa A by modern archaeologists. The villa itself is a large structure situated in the ancient Roman town of Oplontis (the modern Torre Annunziata), about ten metres below modern ground level. Evidence suggests that it was owned by the Emperor Nero, and it is believed to have been used by his second wife, Poppaea Sabina, as her main residence when she was not in Rome. According to John R. Clarke
Poppaea Sabina the Elder committed suicide following Sejanus' downfall; by Ollius she had her daughter the future empress. After Ollius' death she married Publius Cornelius Lentulus Scipio, consul in 24; Scipio had by a previous marriage Publius Cornelius Lentulus Scipio the Younger, consul in 56; with Poppaea Sabina the Elder they had a son, Publius Cornelius Scipio Asiaticus, suffect consul in 68. Her downfall came in the reign of the emperor Claudius. His wife, Messalina, desired to possess the Gardens of Lucullus which was owned by Decimus Valerius Asiaticus, consul in the years 35 and again in 46. Based on the gossip that Poppaea