An incredible opportunity, lost forever.
But, "The Spice must flow."
It could be that the ruins really were ruined, i.e., that it was just foundations and some chunks of pillars. Rome itself was being dismantled even in imperial times, to the point that emperors from the 3rd century on were constantly making decrees and setting punishments for pulling parts off public buildings. Now and again some construction project turns up statues and pieces of statues from ancient Rome -- the pieces being all that is left of ancient works of art which were rendered into lime (for mortar) during the Middle Ages.
Horace quote follows, not the one I wanted:
"Time will bring to light whatever is hidden; it will cover up and conceal what is now shining in splendor."