Recent archaeological excavations at the ancient site of Fregellae, located around 100 kilometers from Rome, have unearthed the oldest villa discovered in the region, offering remarkable insights into Roman military tactics and the daily lives of the people who lived there before the city’s destruction.
Fregellae, once a thriving city allied with Rome, was entirely destroyed by Roman forces in 125 BC after a rebellion, the causes of which remain unknown. The findings are shedding new light on how Roman military campaigns impacted urban areas and surrounding cultural landscapes.
The latest excavation efforts, led by Professor Dr. Dominik Maschek and his team from the Leibniz-Zentrum für Archäologie (LEIZA), focus on a villa with agricultural production facilities, alongside the continued exploration of a Roman military camp used during the siege of Fregellae. The villa, belonging to a local elite family, predates the city’s destruction by approximately 80 years, making it the oldest of its kind found in the area.
The remains of this villa offer a fascinating glimpse into the agricultural and economic activities of its inhabitants. Despite signs of fire damage and the dismantling of building materials, researchers have found significant evidence of daily life, including agricultural production.
Archaeobotanical studies, as well as the discovery of amphorae and storage vessels, suggest that the villa was used for the production of wine, fruits, and cereals. The wine, in particular, was likely produced not only for local consumption but also for trade across the Mediterranean, potentially reaching regions as far as Spain and France. In contrast, the fruits and cereals were likely destined for local markets.
Professor Maschek emphasizes the significance of these findings, particularly given the villa’s advanced age and the clear evidence of economic activity. It’s remarkable that we have been able to uncover the architectural structure of such an early production facility, Maschek said. Even though the building shows signs of deliberate destruction, the discoveries provide valuable insights into rural life and economic practices during that period.
The destruction of the villa by Roman forces not only ended its agricultural production but also devastated the livelihoods of those who lived there. The region around Fregellae remained uninhabited for more than 170 years following the city’s downfall, only being repurposed as a dumping ground around 50 AD, as evidenced by numerous ceramic containers discovered from that later period.
In addition to their work on the villa, archaeologists have continued to study a Roman military camp, first identified in the previous excavation season. This camp, built specifically for the siege of Fregellae, spanned an area of 90 by 143 meters and was fortified with walls and a ditch. The findings from this camp have provided further details about Roman siege strategies, confirming previous theories about Roman military operations in the region.
The research at Fregellae is of great importance for understanding the impact of Roman military campaigns on local populations and economies. The deliberate destruction of the city and its agricultural infrastructure severely disrupted the region’s economy, leaving it desolate for centuries. Moreover, the work at the site not only informs historians about Roman military tactics but also about the long-lasting consequences of such campaigns on cultural landscapes.
As the excavations continue, researchers plan to further analyze the wealth of artifacts uncovered, with a long-term goal of reconstructing the cultural landscape of Fregellae from its destruction in 125 BC through later historical periods, including events as recent as World War II. This ongoing research will enhance our understanding of how war and conflict reshape regions and alter the course of their history.
- Share this article:
Discover more from LBV Magazine English Edition
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
Charles Joughin, the Titanic’s Baker Who Was the Last One to Leave the Ship and Said He Survived by Being Drunk
In James Cameron’s film Titanic, there’s a deleted scene where a crew member, played by Irish actor Liam Touhy, is seen, bottle in hand and half drunk, tossing deck chairs…
The Oldest Carpet in the World, Found in an Iron Age Tomb
It is reasonable to deduce that in the successive phases of prehistory, humans, in their effort to create a warmer environment, used animal skins to cover the floors of the…
The Mysterious Engravings of the Fugoppe Cave in Hokkaido, One of Only Two Sites with Ancient Petroglyphs in Japan
Located in the small fishing town of Yoichi, on the Japanese island of Hokkaido, is Fugoppe Cave, an archaeological site that contains over 800 petroglyphs carved into its walls, making…
Coroebus of Elis, the Baker Who Won the First Race of the Olympic Games
Every story has a beginning, and so does that of the Ancient Olympic Games, of course. In this case, it all started with Coroebus, a baker from the city of…
The Spread of Ideas Thanks to the Printing Press Boosted the Witch Hunt in Central Europe
A recent historical study, published in the journal Theory and Society, seeks to explain one of the darkest and most enigmatic episodes of early modern Europe: the great witch hunt.…
How an African American Cowboy Made a Discovery that Changed North America’s Prehistory
We’ve seen them drive large herds from state to state, fight against Native Americans, defend stagecoaches from bandits, duel, and even battle aliens, but there’s something else cowboys can add…
A sealed Iron Age sarcophagus found by archaeologists in Italy, and inside is a perfectly preserved skeleton
The Bisenzio Project, an international and transdisciplinary initiative led by Andrea Babbi, a researcher at CNR ISPC (Italy’s National Research Council, Institute of Cultural Heritage Sciences), and a long-time collaborator…
Recovery of the 5th-Century BC Greek Ship from the Seabed off Sicily, Where the Mythical Metal “Orichalcum” Was Found Begins
The official recovery operations of the Greek ship from the classical era, known as “Gela II”, have begun. This significant discovery, dating back to the 5th century BC, is located…
Archaeologists excavated 50 feet under Egypt’s largest non-royal tomb and found Idi’s double sarcophagus
The joint Egyptian-German archaeological mission between the universities of Sohag and Berlin recently discovered the funerary chamber of a woman named “Idi”, who was the only daughter of the governor…
A 5000-Year-Old Paved Cellar Found in Denmark Reveals the Existence of Complex Underground Structures in Prehistory
A team of archaeologists led by Marie Brinch from the Lolland-Falster Museum has unearthed the remains of what appears to be a stone-paved cellar, meticulously constructed around 5000 years ago…
A Treasure of Bronze and Iron Objects Hidden During the Attack That Destroyed a Prehistoric Village, Found in Hungary
This summer, the excavation project in northwest Bükk, Hungary, continued, led by a university team specializing in the Bronze and Iron Ages. The research, involving students and local volunteers, focuses…
A woman buried with a Viking wagon, an iron key, and a silver-handled knife, along with 50 other graves found in Denmark
A team of archaeologists from the Odense Museum has unearthed more than 50 exceptionally well-preserved skeletons in Åsum, east of Odense, Denmark. These remains, accompanied by artifacts from distant places…
Something went wrong. Please refresh the page and/or try again.