Rome, a section of ancient Roman road and remains of a funerary monument unearthed at Parioli

During archaeological investigations conducted under the direction of the Special Superintendence of Rome as part of Terna Spa’s work for the construction of the new Nomentana-Villa Borghese underground cable line, a section of a Roman paved road, probably pertaining to the Via Salaria Vetus, and a Roman tomb were discovered in Piazza Pitagora, in the Parioli district.

The remains of an Imperial-era funerary monument with multiple phases of use emerged: two oil lamps from the first half of the third century AD and a few bone fragments were found in the tomb, which was probably reworked in ancient times.

“Once again we have the opportunity to witness a major find thanks to the synergy between the Superintendence and Terna,” said Rome’s special superintendent Daniela Porro. “One of many virtuous collaborations that allows the citizenry to witness how services for users and the protection of Rome’s archaeological and cultural heritage can coexist harmoniously.”

The excavations are still ongoing and are being conducted under the scientific direction of Fabrizio Santi, archaeologist of the Special Superintendence of Rome, and are being conducted in the field by archaeologists Cesare Baglieri, Angela Conti and Viviana Petraroli of Tethys srl. They will be aimed at the correct identification of ancient artifacts, their protection and to collect data and scientific information, then allowing work to resume.

The paved road, identified for a length of about four meters, is four meters wide and has part of the original crepidini (sidewalks) on its sides. It is oriented roughly along the direction of today’s Bertoloni Street. The funerary monument, typical of the so-called Salaria Vetus as well as the great consular roads, faced directly onto the road along its eastern side. “Modern scholars have long debated about the route of the Salaria Vetus: some speculate that, skirting the Parioli hill in the direction of the Via Flaminia, it continued to the Tiber, while others believe that, at the height of today’s Viale Rossini at the intersection with Via de Cavalieri, it bent toward the ancient Latin center of Antemnae, today’s Monte Antenne. This discovery is important precisely because it helps us shed light on the route of this Roman road,” Santi explained.

As early as the fourth century, the Depositio Martirum liturgical calendar records St. Hermes buried in the cemetery of Bassilla along the Salaria Vetus, and it is only in late antiquity and medieval sources that this road, not to be confused with the Salaria, is mentioned. It is presumably an older road, attested in later times by the presence of important catacomb complexes along its route. The works by Terna, the company that manages the national electricity grid, in recent weeks in the Pinciano and Parioli neighborhoods are part of the activities envisaged by the memorandum of understanding with the Lazio Region and the Municipality of Rome, signed in March 2022, for the construction of four completely underground cable connections with advanced technology, for a total of about 25 kilometers. The infrastructure is aimed at increasing the efficiency, sustainability and safety of the capital’s electricity system.

Pictured: the section of a Roman paved road, likely pertaining to the Via Salaria Vetus, found at Piazza Pitagora in Rome’s Parioli district.

Rome, a section of ancient Roman road and remains of a funerary monument unearthed at Parioli

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