Some of the ruins and objects found are being exposed in one of the new stations
The construction of Line C, Rome's new metro route in Italy, has revealed petrified peaches, amphora ceramics, and ancient structures. Among the constructions are a building dating from the 3rd century that was destroyed by fire, the house of a military commander, and 2-year-old barracks used by the army of the Roman Emperor Hadrian (no, not the football player).
San Giovanni station is the newest on the line. Opened on May 12, it offers passengers a journey not only in transport, but also into the region's past. Visitors can observe more than 40 thousand artifacts discovered during the construction of the subway. The items belong to the Pleistocene epoch until the fall of the Western Roman Empire, in the year 476 of the common era.
Mosaic stones found during excavation (Photo: SOPRINTENDENZA SPECIALE DI ROMA)
“It’s a kind of time machine. The further you go into the station, the more you go back into the history of Rome,” said Francesco Prosperetti, superintendent of the city’s archaeological department, in an interview with squires.
During the height of the Roman Empire, the San Giovanni region was a rich agricultural zone that produced fruits, vegetables and flowers. The underground museum displays 2-year-old peach tree stones, as well as a woven basket and a turquoise glass perfume bottle.
The next station scheduled to open is Amba Aradam, near the Coliseum. In 2016, researchers excavating the area discovered a complex of 39 rooms. According to the newspaper The Independent, the space served as a military barracks for Emperor Hadrian's Praetorian Guard, and stored human bones, mosaic floors and bronze coins.
Simona Morretta, the archaeologist overseeing excavations at Amba Aradam, told The New York Times that the house has 14 rooms, a central courtyard and a fountain.
Representatives from Rome committed to preserving the barracks, proposing the creation of the city's first “archaeological station”, and changing the project that wanted to integrate the ruins into the modern station. Amba Aradam is due to open in 2021, but with excavations still ongoing, there is the possibility of delays.
News originally published in Galileo
