An investigation into illegal excavation activity on the outskirts of Rome has led archaeologists to the discovery of a Roman imperial-period villa featuring elaborate mosaic floors, painted walls and a marble statue that may depict the rural deity Silvanus.
The villa was uncovered at Castel di Guido, a large agricultural estate west of Rome in the territory of ancient Lorium, an imperial property along the Via Aurelia. The discovery emerged during investigations by the Soprintendenza Speciale di Roma after reports of unauthorised digging on land owned by the Lazio Region.
Authorities were alerted to the illegal excavation on 16 February, prompting a joint operation involving heritage officials and the Carabinieri Cultural Heritage Protection Unit. By 23 February, the site had been secured and placed under surveillance.
Archaeologists found that mechanical digging had already damaged ancient structures, cutting deep trenches through the site. Rather than treating the incident solely as a criminal case, officials launched a controlled excavation to document and preserve the exposed remains.
The investigation revealed part of a substantial villa organised around a monumental atrium with a central impluvium, a basin used to collect rainwater. Surrounding floors were decorated with mosaics featuring geometric and vegetal motifs, coloured marble inlays and ornate threshold designs that indicate a residence of considerable wealth.
Fragments of painted plaster suggest the walls were once decorated with colourful panels depicting human figures and plant motifs. Four rooms have been identified around the atrium, three of which preserve sections of their original mosaic floors.
Researchers also found a cocciopesto-lined basin and evidence of working spaces, suggesting the villa combined elite domestic living with agricultural production, a common feature of Roman rural estates.
One of the most interesting finds is a fragmentary white marble statue that was found in the impluvium. At about 80 cm high, it is a bearded man carrying a basket decorated with birds and fruit.
Archaeologists think the figure may be Silvanus, the Roman god associated with forests, fields and agricultural prosperity, although other meanings can be possible. The rural symbolism of the statue is consistent with the villa’s agricultural setting.
The discovery is particularly important because Castel di Guido lies within the territory of ancient Lorium, an area closely linked to Rome’s imperial family. Historical sources associate the district with Antoninus Pius, who later established a residence there and died in AD 161. Hadrian and Marcus Aurelius are also connected with the region.
The new villa is among several high-class residential buildings known from the area and could have been owned by aristocratic families who were closely linked to the imperial court. There is an appearance of great wealth and influence in its mosaics and painted decoration and sculpture.
A little evidence suggests that the villa was built in the first half of the 1st century AD and gradually abandoned in the 3rd century AD. Pottery, architectural remains and decorative items will further clarify its chronology and tell us more about its history.
The Soprintendenza Speciale di Roma will present the discovery to the public on June 20 through two free guided archaeological walks at Castel di Guido, where visitors can see the villa’s remains and mosaics currently undergoing conservation.
The illegal excavation of a piece of Rome’s imperial heritage finally led to the recovery of a significant piece of Rome’s imperial heritage in the rural estates that surrounded the ancient capital.
Header Image Credit : Soprintendenza Speciale di Roma
Sources : Italian Ministry of Culture
