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La
"domus romana" di Suasa
The story about “Park of Archaeology of the Roman
town Suasa”, aimed to valorise extraordinary discoveries - today an obligatory
stage for every visitor of the Marches, starts with the researches of the
University of Bologna in 1987. Years of work, recording, excavations and making
catalogues have disclosed an exceptional patrimony. The Roman town Suasa was
built on an ancient road connecting the Adriatic coast with gorges of the
Apennines, on the territory previously occupied by the Gauls of Saone. The most
ancient phases of its history are still unknown, but that what is known is
enough to classify it as historically and archaeologically important. And the
importance of excavations has justified the recent institution of Park of
Archaeology of Suasa, in the zone that once was the artery of the roman town.
The rests from distant past reveal how the municipium
of Suasa had above all had commercial vocation at service of a wide, mostly
agricultural territory. The ancient settlement has not been excavated completely,
but its narrow and long form, limited by the course of the river Cesano to the
West and by low hills to the East is obvious. At the end of the 1st
century, a large amphitheatre was built (98 x 77 meters) at foot of those hills,
one of the biggest in the region, with capacity of several thousands spectators.
Along the main road lays the rectangular commercial forum, less than a half
disclosed, but with recognisable original structure: a big square delimited with
right-angled streets, surrounded from three sides with porticoes and pillars of
big shops and workshops. If there are not numerous rests of public buildings,
the panorama of discovered private buildings from the middle of the 2nd
c BC is more complete. The richest and the most famous residential complex of
the town consists of domus dei Coiedii
(a rich senator family of Suasa, descending from Lucius
Coiedius Candidus, general of the Emperor Claudius' army), used from 2nd
c BC to 5th c AD. Approximately 100 metres long and 33 m large, it
was collocated along the main road. The domus
had a series of prestigious halls with function of sitting and
representation rooms, richly decorated with floor mosaics in wood and marble and
wall paintings. The motifs and adopted techniques are various: mythological
scenes, floral and geometric designs. This is a very interesting and equipped
archaeological site, the structures of which allow better fruition of tourists.
Avant-garde roofing and internal platforms make visits to the domus
comfortable. The visit to archaeological park is completed with the visit to the
Museum of Suasa, situated in the Palace of the Della Rovere. Inside it, various
precious finds of the roman town are exposed, among which a head of Augustus and
frescoes from the domus patrizia.
©
2001
Liberation Ventures Ltd.
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