Oldest Villa in Ancient Republican City Reveals Life Before and After Revolt

Almost a decade into a project examining the late Republican city of Fregellae, 100 kilometers (62.13 miles) from Rome, archaeologists have firmly pieced together the assault and devastation of the city in 125 BC. Unearthing the oldest villa in the region, belonging to a member of the local elite, findings have provided socio-economic insight into Roman military tactics, and the daily lives of the people who lived there before the siege.

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Examining an Abandoned Region: Discovery of Wine and Amphorae

Fregellae had revolted against the Roman Republic, only for their uprising to be quashed by Roman forces, with the city razed to the ground. A team of researchers from the Leibniz-Zentrum für Archäologie (LEIZA) and the University of Trier have revealed that the assault not only devastated the city but also obliterated the economic foundation of the local inhabitants.

“As a result,” the researchers note, “the region remained uninhabited for over 170 years,” they write in a press statement.

This year, the focus has shifted to a villa equipped with an agricultural production facility, alongside further exploration of a Roman military camp established during the siege of Fregellae. The villa was built approximately 80 years prior to the city’s destruction.

Investigations into the site, including archaeobotanical studies and the discovery of amphorae and storage vessels, have confirmed that the villa produced wine, fruit, and grain.

“The wine was probably not just for local consumption,” explains Prof Dr. Dominik Maschek, project manager at LEIZA.

“It is quite possible that it was traded within Mediterranean exchange networks as far as Spain and France. The cultivation of grain and fruit, on the other hand, was certainly intended for the local market.”

The violent destruction of the site by the Roman army marked the end of this agricultural production facility and resulted in the loss of livelihoods for its inhabitants. Maschek asserts that the violence and destruction affected the entire economic structure of the region, which made it into a literal rubbish dump, as evidenced by ceramic vessels from 50 AD along the site, reports LBV Magazine.

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Archaeobotanical analyses of seeds and plant remains provide information on the cultivation and trade of wine. (LEIZA / Anton Ritzhaupt)

Fregellae: Founding, Revolt, and the Scope of Research

Fregellae was founded in the 4th century BC near what is now the commune of Arce in the province of Frosinone. Thanks to its strategic location, the Romans established a colony there in 328 BC, using the city as a bulwark against Samnite incursions.

In 125 BC, the inhabitants of Fregellae revolted against Rome, seeking equal status as Roman citizens. Rome responded by sending a force under the command of praetor Lucius Opimius, who quickly crushed the rebellion and destroyed the city, reports The Heritage Daily.

Since 2015, Maschek has led the research project titled "A Landscape of Conflict: Battlefield Archaeology in the Territory of Ancient Fregellae / Modern Arce, Ceprano, and San Giovanni Incarico." The archaeological investigations, taking place about 100 km from Rome, aim to reconstruct the Roman military assault on the once prosperous city of Fregellae.

Evidence of the deliberate destruction is found in the remains of wall paintings, sanctuaries, atrium houses, floor mosaics, and public baths in the city center.

The project’s primary goal is to understand how sieges during the Roman period impacted the urban hinterland, specifically examining the extent of damage inflicted on the cultural landscape surrounding Fregellae.

In addition to their work on the villa, the researchers have continued their investigation of the military camp identified last year. This camp, which was constructed for the siege of Fregellae, spanned an area of 90 by 143 meters (295.2x469.16 feet) and was surrounded by a rampart and a ditch.

“These investigations support our previous findings regarding Roman military strategy and siege tactics,” Maschek states.

“This new information consolidates our understanding of the Roman siege in 125 BC. It's fascinating that we were able to uncover the architectural structure of such an early production facility. Despite the traces of fire and the almost complete removal of the building materials, the finds offer valuable insights into rural life and the economic activities of the inhabitants at the time."

Looking ahead, the researchers plan to further analyze the rich finds from their excavations next year. “Our aim is to reconstruct the effects of war and conflict on the cultural landscape, from the destruction of 125 BC to the fighting of World War II,” they conclude.

Top image: The archaeological excavation in ancient Fregellae uncovered the oldest known villa in the region.               Source: LEIZA / Dominik Maschek

By Sahir Pandey