DOI issue:
Ashby,T.: The classical Topography of the roman campagna. The via latina. Introduction
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.70348#0080
64
The British School at Rome.
On the left, behind this line of tombs, extended the remains of a large
building which was taken to be a villa (though the plan is quite abnormal),
constructed of brickwork, the stamps dating from the ist century A.D. to
the time of Caracalla (the majority being of the reign of Hadrian) with
an isolated example belonging to the Christian period (Fortunati, pp. 7-9,
nos. 1-32). A plan of it is given in the general plan annexed to the
Relazione, a reproduction of which will be found in Murray’s Handbook for
Rome (p. 416 of the 1899 edition). Its remains are now covered up, but
the Christian basilica of S. Stephen, which was built into a part of it, has
been left open, and is still visible. To the N.W. of it is a reservoir (C on
Fortunati’s plan), and to the N.W. of that again, and almost opposite to
the ‘ sepolcro Barberini ’ (supra, 60), an isolated mass of concrete, with niches
in it—no doubt a tomb lying back from the road.
The sculpture and fragments found in the main building are given by
Benndorf-Schoene, nos. 1-25 (no. 25 = Matz-Duhn, 3615). With them were
found many sepulchral inscriptions, which had probably been collected
there to be burnt into lime (Fortunati, pp. 4 seq., nos. 2-20, 24-26, cf. p. 10).
The lead pipes C.I.L. xv. 7334 c ( Valerius Primitivus fecit}, 7535 (M. Servili
Silani—probably the man who was consul in 188 for the second time,
Prosopographia iii. p. 228, no. 428), 7561 ( Valeria C. f. Paullina, for whom
cf. ibid. 7850—the inscription on a pipe found in the Vigna Zoffoli, which
gives the name of C. Valerius Paulinus, no doubt a lineal relation of this
woman—infra, 152), 773 2 MAKPOICIN) were also discovered in this villa.
The date at which Valeria Paullina owned the villa is quite uncertain : but
inasmuch as Valerius Primitivus occurs (7334 a) as a plumbarius of the
emperor Alexander Severus, we may perhaps infer that the building had by
that time become imperial property, while Servilius Silanus seems to have
been its possessor in the last quarter of the second century A.D. Some iron
objects were also found—agricultural implements for the most part, and a
lance (Relazione, 10). Considerable traces of fire were found throughout
the building.
In the basilica of S. Stephen were found two sarcophagi in situ
(Benndorf-Schoene, nos. 26, 27) and other fragments of sculpture (ibid. 28-30)
under a heap of fragments of architecture, also the inscription C.I.L. vi.
1680 (Fortunati, no. 27) Sex. Anicio Paulino Procos. Africae bis cos. Praef.
Urb. (the latter office he held in 331 A.D.) in use as part of the material
of a later tomb, also the Christian inscriptions, Fortunati, pp. 14 seq.
The British School at Rome.
On the left, behind this line of tombs, extended the remains of a large
building which was taken to be a villa (though the plan is quite abnormal),
constructed of brickwork, the stamps dating from the ist century A.D. to
the time of Caracalla (the majority being of the reign of Hadrian) with
an isolated example belonging to the Christian period (Fortunati, pp. 7-9,
nos. 1-32). A plan of it is given in the general plan annexed to the
Relazione, a reproduction of which will be found in Murray’s Handbook for
Rome (p. 416 of the 1899 edition). Its remains are now covered up, but
the Christian basilica of S. Stephen, which was built into a part of it, has
been left open, and is still visible. To the N.W. of it is a reservoir (C on
Fortunati’s plan), and to the N.W. of that again, and almost opposite to
the ‘ sepolcro Barberini ’ (supra, 60), an isolated mass of concrete, with niches
in it—no doubt a tomb lying back from the road.
The sculpture and fragments found in the main building are given by
Benndorf-Schoene, nos. 1-25 (no. 25 = Matz-Duhn, 3615). With them were
found many sepulchral inscriptions, which had probably been collected
there to be burnt into lime (Fortunati, pp. 4 seq., nos. 2-20, 24-26, cf. p. 10).
The lead pipes C.I.L. xv. 7334 c ( Valerius Primitivus fecit}, 7535 (M. Servili
Silani—probably the man who was consul in 188 for the second time,
Prosopographia iii. p. 228, no. 428), 7561 ( Valeria C. f. Paullina, for whom
cf. ibid. 7850—the inscription on a pipe found in the Vigna Zoffoli, which
gives the name of C. Valerius Paulinus, no doubt a lineal relation of this
woman—infra, 152), 773 2 MAKPOICIN) were also discovered in this villa.
The date at which Valeria Paullina owned the villa is quite uncertain : but
inasmuch as Valerius Primitivus occurs (7334 a) as a plumbarius of the
emperor Alexander Severus, we may perhaps infer that the building had by
that time become imperial property, while Servilius Silanus seems to have
been its possessor in the last quarter of the second century A.D. Some iron
objects were also found—agricultural implements for the most part, and a
lance (Relazione, 10). Considerable traces of fire were found throughout
the building.
In the basilica of S. Stephen were found two sarcophagi in situ
(Benndorf-Schoene, nos. 26, 27) and other fragments of sculpture (ibid. 28-30)
under a heap of fragments of architecture, also the inscription C.I.L. vi.
1680 (Fortunati, no. 27) Sex. Anicio Paulino Procos. Africae bis cos. Praef.
Urb. (the latter office he held in 331 A.D.) in use as part of the material
of a later tomb, also the Christian inscriptions, Fortunati, pp. 14 seq.