New subway line in Rome uncovers archaeological treasures

When you walk through the center of any reasonably large city, you are very likely going to skim over bits of history that one will hardly ever find. It may be an ancient path from the time the city was founded, or even some object that was lost during the execution of the sidewalks and streets that exist today. As cities grow and new structures appear, a lot gets in the way.

But now imagine the possibility of finding something like this in Rome, one of the oldest cities in Europe, full of history and recorded milestones. This is what happened during the execution of a new subway line.

Gold digs

The work has been going on for years and has been quite a gift to Italian archaeologists. In early 2016, at the site of Amba Aradam station, a second-century military barracks was discovered. Now, in March 2018, a domus romana, home of wealthy families of ancient Rome, was discovered, which archaeologists believe belonged to the commander of the barracks discovered years earlier.

The archaeologist in charge of the site, Simona Moretta, did not expect them to find such a domus even after the barracks were discovered. She reported that the residence had a fountain in the center and at least 14 rooms, one of which even had a heating system.

All the walls found were 1.50 meters high, and the rooms were completely filled with earth, indicating that the domus was intentionally buried during the third century, shortly before Emperor Aurelius began building walls to protect the city in the year. 271 AD

In addition to the incredibly well-preserved frescoes on the walls, floor tiles and even decorations, wooden beams were found. This type of material is rarely found in good condition as excavations are often shallow, and the variation in temperature and natural humidity easily spoils the wood. However, as the city's subway excavations reach up to 30 meters deep, this is a golden opportunity for archaeologists.

The future

The domus and barracks will be removed from the site and preserved in their own environments until the end of construction; later, they will be positioned inside the new station, being exposed to subway users.

There were so many items found during the execution of the new line that San Giovanni station will host a multi-item exhibition. The city already has a multitude of sights and will now earn one more inside the station. Good for tourists, who can optimize their time by enjoying objects while on the move.