Section of the Via Puteoli-Neapolis emerges in Campania

A stretch of the ancient Via Puteoli-Neapolis, one of the most important roads in Campania that connected Pozzuoli, the commercial port of the Roman Empire, with Naples, is re-emerging at the Roman baths of Via Terracina, in the populous district of Fuorigrotta in Naples. The archaeological excavation in progress, conducted by the university students of the Orientale and by Federico II of Naples coordinated by professors Marco Giglio and Gianluca Soricelli, aims to retrace the areas excavated in the 30s of the last century, in particular focusing on the residential area of the baths and the roads not yet thoroughly investigated.

During the excavations at the Roman baths in Via Terracina, in the populous district of Naples,
one of the most important ancient roads of Campania came to light
[Credit: National Geographic Italia]

"Amedeo Maiuri, then superintendent of the Antiquities of Naples and the South of Italy, was responsible for the excavations of the Roman baths in Via Terracina, which resurfaced during the construction of the Mostra delle Terre d'Oltremare", says Marco Giglio, professor of Methodology and Techniques of Archaeological Research at the University of Naples L'Orientale and responsible, together with the archaeologist Gianluca Sorricelli, associate professor of Roman History at the University of Molise, for the excavation campaign in progress.

The excavation area of Puteoli-Neapolim road [Credit: Antonio Cangiano/
National Geographic Italia]

The excavation area of Puteoli-Neapolim road [Credit: Antonio Cangiano/
National Geographic Italia]

"Maiuri found in the fairgrounds some stretches of the ancient roadway and delimited them with two rows of pines. Here, too, the renowned archaeologist found a stretch of the road and indicated it precisely by planting pines on the embankment above the path identified", explains Giglio.

"Following this indication, perhaps left for posterity, we are bringing to light a stretch of the ancient road that runs along the baths", he adds. "A more detailed excavation campaign is required to remove the embankment, plants and trees and rediscover the entire roadbed".

View of the mosaic flooring of the Roman baths in Via Terracina
[Credit: Antonio Cangiano/National Geographic Italia]

In the residential area of the baths, the team of ten students coordinated by Giglio and Sorricelli, made another interesting discovery: a large cocciopesto floor dating from the third century AD.

"What amazes us about this ancient building is its vitality over the centuries. Several times its rooms were modified and reworked to allow its use. The residential area of the baths, in particular, also housed a workshop and was developed on several levels: you can still see a stretch of stairs that led to the upper rooms, "concludes Giglio.

Source: National Geographic Italia [trsl. TANN, July 19, 2019]