A hidden chamber in the ruins of Roman Emperor Nero's Domus Aurea palace was discovered by archaeologists near Rome's ancient Colosseum.

The uncovered vault, dubbed the Sphinx Room given the murals that adorn it, likely dates back to between A.D. 65 and A.D. 68, as per a statement issued by the Colosseum archeological park.

The chamber is 4.5 meters high and decorated with images of a centaur, the goat-rumped god Pan, myriad plant and water ornaments, and a scene of a sword-wielding man being attacked by a panther.

The statement noted that archeologists are still discovering new rooms in the Domus Aurea after years of excavation.