Archaeologists have discovered the only brewery belonging to the Roman era in Italy
Archaeologists from the Università di Macerata have discovered the only brewery dating to the Roman era in region of Macerata and at the sites of Urbs Salvia and Villamagna. It is the only one found to data on the Italian peninsula which is famous for its winemaking tradition.
The brewery was found alongside a Roman villa with impressive monumental structures and this out of the ordinary discovery is believed to be linked to the ancient Gallic roots of the region, before their arrival to Italy. The Celtic tribes were known for their beer consumption.
In the 4th century BC, the Celtic tribe, the Senones Gauls, who originated from modern-day France, occupied much of the general region, including the province of Macerata. It is believed that the owners of the villa continued to maintain their ancestral tradition which was influenced by Celtic culture.
Archaeologists excavating at the only known Roman-era brewery on the Italian peninsula. (Courtesy of the Università di Macerata)
Excavations in Urbs Salvia have revealed the extraordinary finds in and around the area of both the Forum of the Roman colony and of the cryptoporticus with the discovery of kilns for pottery production and metal forges from the Republican era. These finds are shedding new light on the process of Romanization of the Piceno and the surrounding region of Marche.
In the hopes of consolidating control over the Adriatic regions, the Roman colony of Urbs Salvia was founded in the 3rd century BC and thrived thanks in part to its strategic location along the Via Flaminia. Over the centuries, it became an important political, commercial, and religious center.
An archaeologist brushing dirt from a buried artifact at the site of the brewery. (Courtesy of the Università di Macerata)
Today, visitors can visit and admire the well-preserved monuments which include the theater and a temple dedicated to Salus, the goddess of health. Although, in the hopes of enriching visitor experience, plans are already being made to expand the areas accessible to the public, according to the Regional Directorate of Museum of the Marche.
Top image: A view of the excavation in Macerata Source: Courtesy of Università di Macerata.
