Villa of Geraci

Last updated
Villa Romana di contrada Gerace
Italy provincial location map 2016.svg
Archaeological site icon (red).svg
Shown within Italy
Location Sicily, Italy
Coordinates 37°27′55″N14°15′12″E / 37.465295014379336°N 14.253325926144448°E / 37.465295014379336; 14.253325926144448
Type Roman villa
History
Foundedearly 3rd century AD
Cultures Roman

The Villa of Gerace (or Geraci; Italian : Villa Romana di contrada Gerace) is a Roman villa located near Enna along provincial road 78 at the Rastello-Ramata junction, on the Fontanazza estate, Sicily. [1]

Contents

The elaborate villa was part of a rich estate covering 3.5 ha, one of the many historically reported but rarely excavated latifundia on the island. It lies about 15 km from the Villa Romana del Casale at Piazza Armerina and 5 km from the ancient city of Sabucina.

History and description

The remains of a villa rustica were found in the early 1990s when a flood revealed a mosaic floor. Archaeology has continued since then, and from 2013 [2] by the University of British Columbia. [3]

The villa of at least 10,000 m2 area [4] is further evidence that Roman villas in Sicily are not just represented by a few examples such as the exceptional Villa del Casale but have a significant distribution density which raises estimates of the rural population and economy. It is known that Sicily through its latifundia, or villa estates, was vital to the agricultural economy of the Roman Empire and produced most of the wheat, barley, olives and grapes imported by the city of Rome. Few latifundia have been properly excavated in Sicily so Gerace is important in being able to fill gaps in knowledge of the late Roman economy. [5]

The owner was one Philippianus as indicated by the mosaic text and stamps on many recovered roof tiles. [6] He also owned the villa 12 km away at Piano della Clesia near Sabucina as indicated by tile stamps there. [7]

The earliest buildings date to late Roman period of 325-50 AD, and after their collapse possibly in the earthquake of 361 they were overbuilt in about 370 by a more extensive villa which may never have been completed, and was burnt down 100 years later.

Five of the ten main rooms uncovered in the villa are situated around a peristyle and have mosaic floors. The range of colours used in the mosaics is very varied: black, grey, red, green, pink, white and the compositions are accurately made. The mosaics of the peristyle and the southern corridor particularly have numerous motifs. The skilled workmanship and design indicate North African influence and similarity to that of the Villa Romana del Casale.

A freestanding bath house [8] has also been excavated which used exotic coloured marbles to face floors and walls in some rooms and mosaic floors in others, particularly in the frigidarium whose floor is unique in its geometric design and dates from probably 380-400. [9] A text in mosaic is written around all four sides floor which is also probably unique, and reads: PHILIPPIANORVM PRAEDIA FELI[cia]/CAPITOLINIS GAVDIVM/PLVRA FABRICETIS MELLIORA DEDI/CETIS ASCLEPIADES SENESCAS CVM TVIS Translation: May the estates of the Philippiani prosper. Joy to the Capitolini (e.g. in contests). May you build more and may you dedicate better things. Asclepiades, may you grow old with your family. [10] Philippianus' monogram, used on the roof tiles, is also repeated in the mosaic. Asclepiades might have been his son.

The baths may never have been completed as one of three pools in the cold room was never installed and its wall decoration unfinished. After the earthquake repairs were followed by smashing of mosaics in heated rooms to retrieve bricks and removing marble panels from walls. The cold room's mosaic was left intact.

There is also a significant number of brick and tile kilns in an industrial area dating from the late 4th to the 6th c. AD. Tile-stamp designs featuring horses and many equid bones imply there was a stud farm on the estate.

The villa was probably destroyed by another earthquake after 450, judging by cracks and debris in the building. However, a more modest early Byzantine settlement was built on the site from about 500.

Related Research Articles

A latifundium was originally the term used by ancient Romans for great landed estates specialising in agriculture destined for sale: grain, olive oil, or wine. They were characteristic of Magna Graecia and Sicily, Egypt, Northwest Africa and Hispania Baetica. The latifundia were the closest approximation to industrialised agriculture in Antiquity, and their economics depended upon slavery.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Province of Enna</span> Province in Sicily, Italy

Enna is a province in the autonomous island region of Sicily, in Italy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Settefinestre</span>

Settefinestre is best known for the site of late Republican Roman slave-run villa that was excavated in 1976-81. It lies between Capalbio and Orbetello in Tuscany, Italy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Piazza Armerina</span> Comune in Sicily, Italy

Piazza Armerina is a comune in the province of Enna of the autonomous island region of Sicily, southern Italy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sicilia (Roman province)</span> Roman province

Sicilia was the first province acquired by the Roman Republic, encompassing the island of Sicily. The western part of the island was brought under Roman control in 241 BC at the conclusion of the First Punic War with Carthage. A praetor was regularly assigned to the island from c.227 BC. The Kingdom of Syracuse under Hieron II remained an independent ally of Rome until its defeat in 212 BC during the Second Punic War. Thereafter the province included the whole of the island of Sicily, the island of Malta, and the smaller island groups.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Villa Romana del Casale</span> World Heritage Site in Sicily

The Villa Romana del Casale is a large and elaborate Roman villa or palace located about 3 km from the town of Piazza Armerina, Sicily. Excavations have revealed one of the richest, largest, and most varied collections of Roman mosaics in the world, for which the site has been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The villa and artwork contained within date to the early 4th century AD.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cottanello</span> Comune in Lazio, Italy

Cottanello is a comune (municipality) in the Province of Rieti in the Italian region of Latium, located about 60 kilometres (37 mi) north of Rome and about 15 kilometres (9 mi) west of Rieti.

Casignana is a comune (municipality) in the Province of Reggio Calabria in region of Calabria, Italy and located about 35 km (22 mi) east of Reggio Calabria.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Realmonte</span> Comune in Sicily, Italy

Realmonte is a comune (municipality) in the Region of Agrigento in the Italian Provence Sicily, located about 90 kilometres (56 mi) south of Palermo and about 10 kilometres (6 mi) west of Agrigento.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Villa Magna</span>

Villa Magna is a large imperial ancient Roman villa near the modern town of Anagni, in Lazio, central Italy. The site lies in the Valle del Sacco some 65 km south of Rome, at the foot of the Monti Lepini, directly under the peak known as Monte Giuliano. The villa was excavated between 2006 and 2010.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gino Vinicio Gentili</span> Italian archaeologist (1914–2006)

Gino Vinicio Gentili was an Italian archaeologist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roman mosaic</span> Style of mosaic from the Roman period

A Roman mosaic is a mosaic made during the Roman period, throughout the Roman Republic and later Empire. Mosaics were used in a variety of private and public buildings, on both floors and walls, though they competed with cheaper frescos for the latter. They were highly influenced by earlier and contemporary Hellenistic Greek mosaics, and often included famous figures from history and mythology, such as Alexander the Great in the Alexander Mosaic.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Villa Romana del Tellaro</span>

The Villa Romana del Tellaro is a large, elaborate Roman villa dating from the late Roman Empire.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Villa Romana di Patti</span>

The Villa Romana di Patti is a large and elaborate Roman villa located in the comune of Patti in the province of Messina on Sicily.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sabucina</span>

The archaeological park of Sabucina, located on the mountain of the same name near Caltanissetta, is an archaeological site in Sicily. The area contains settlements ranging from the Bronze Age to the Roman period.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roman furnaces in Alcamo</span>

The Roman furnaces in Alcamo are part of the archaeological complex of Alcamo Marina and were discovered in 2000.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Villa Romana Bagnoli</span>

The Roman Villa of Bagnoli is located in contrada Bagnoli-San Gregorio, near the town of Capo d'Orlando, Sicily.

Naples (Italy) and its immediate surroundings preserve an archaeological heritage of inestimable value and among the best in the world. For example, the archaeological park of the Phlegraean Fields is directly connected to the centre of Naples through the Cumana railway, and the nearby sites of Pompeii, Herculaneum, Stabiae and Oplontis are among the World Heritage Sites of UNESCO.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rutland Roman villa</span> Roman villa in Rutland, England

The Rutland Roman villa is a Romano-British villa site in Rutland, England. The site was listed as a scheduled monument by Historic England on 23 November 2021. The villa includes the first example of a mosaic in Britain which depicts scenes from Homer's Iliad.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roman Villa Palazzi di Casignana</span>

The extensive, luxurious Roman villa Palazzi di Casignana is located on the seashore and near the ancient road linking ancient Locri and Rhegion in today's province of Calabria, Italy. It was discovered in 1964. It reached its zenith during the late empire of the 4th c. AD, a period of turbulence elsewhere.

References

  1. ↑ "Late antique villas in Sicily | Villa Romana del Casale". villaromanadelcasale.it. Retrieved 2017-07-13.
  2. ↑ UBC Excavations of the Roman Villa at Gerace, Sicily: Results of the 2013 Season R.J.A. Wilson, Mouseion: Journal of the Classical Association of Canada, Volume 12, Number 2, 2012, LVI -- Series III, pp. 175-230 (Article)
  3. ↑ CNERS: EXCAVATIONS IN SICILY 2017, THE GERACE PROJECT: http://cnrs.ubc.ca/for-undergraduates/archaeological-field-schools/sicily-2017/
  4. ↑ Un tesoro ancora tutto da scoprire: la Villa Romana di contrada Geraci: http://ennapress.it/enna-un-tesoro-ancora-tutto-da-scoprire-la-villa-romana-di-contrada-geraci.html
  5. ↑ AIA Lecture: R. J. A. Wilson on the Gerace Project, 2013-2015: https://aiavancouver.wixsite.com/aiavancouver/single-post/2016/1/28/AIA-Lecture-R-J-A-Wilson-on-the-Gerace-Project-20132015
  6. ↑ Gerace: Philippianus and his rural estate in late Roman Sicily, World Archaeology, Issue 89
  7. ↑ Philippianus: A Late Roman Sicilian Landowner and His Use of the Monogram, People and Institutions in the Roman Empire, R.J.A. Wilson Pages:183–229 ISBN   9789004441378 doi : 10.1163/9789004441378_012
  8. ↑ The Baths on the Estate of the Philippiani at Gerace, Sicily, R.J.A. Wilson, American Journal of Archaeology, Volume 124, Number 3, July 2020 doi : 10.3764/aja.124.3.0477
  9. ↑ Gerace 2017 – Summary of the Results of the UBC Excavation, https://cnrs.ubc.ca/for-undergraduates/archaeological-field-schools/sicily-2017/
  10. ↑ Gerace 2018 – Summary of the Results of the UBC Excavation: https://cners.sites.olt.ubc.ca/files/2018/09/Illustrated-Summary-of-the-2018-Excavations-at-Gerace-Sicily.pdf

Sources

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.