Fioratti says that she and her husband purchased the mosaic from an Italian noble family in the 1960s.
They then mounted it on a stand, transforming the artifact into their coffee table.
And the mosaic held that function until just a short time ago.
Photo: 60 Minutes
This controversial emperor of Rome had a short reign that ended in his assassination.
Characterized by some as insane, he was largely wiped from history after his death.
These were pleasure boats built by Caligula, with the larger boat acting as a floating palace.
Bust of Caligula. (Photo:Louis le Grand,CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons)
The remains of these ships are located in the same museum that houses the mosaic.
In fact, the mosaic was actually the dance floor of one of the ships.
