A necropolis extending over 150 square meters is emerging in ancient Liternum, near the Forum and the Amphitheater of the Roman colony in the municipality of Giugliano in Campania.
Under the direction of archaeologist Dr. Simona Formola, the excavation has focused on the city's burial grounds. Over twenty burials have been uncovered, including types such as inhumations in cappuccina tombs, enchýtrismos using vessels, and intricately crafted box-shaped tombs identified around the perimeter walls.
Liternum, now the municipality of Giugliano in Campania, was founded in the late 2nd century BCE and reached its peak of splendor between the 1st and 2nd centuries CE, particularly due to the construction of the Via Domitiana in 95 CE by Emperor Domitian of the Flavian dynasty. This development spurred Liternum's growth and helped establish it as a major trading center and commercial hub for local industries.
The ancient colony is mostly known for being the residence of the elder Scipio Africanus, a Roman general and statesman who played a decisive role in the victory of the Roman legions over the Carthaginian army led by Hannibal during the Second Punic War.
The findings date from the late 1st century BCE to the 3rd century CE. The excavations have uncovered a quadrangular mausoleum clad with opus reticulatum, a type of Roman masonry made with volcanic tuff bricks in a diamond shape, located at the center of one of the funerary enclosures. Measuring three meters on each side, the mausoleum has plastered niches designed to house cinerary urns, indicating the necropolis's prolonged use over generations.
Among the discoveries are two high-status funerary enclosures that preserve large sections of their original cladding and still bear extensive fragments of white coating plaster. The walls of these enclosures were decorated in an initial phase with a white tone and later enriched with details in red. These findings have led archaeologists to propose new hypotheses regarding the route of the Via Domitiana, along which such burials must have been located.
Superintendent Mariano Nuzzo declared that the Giugliano area is experiencing a particularly fruitful moment from the point of view of archaeological research. "The territory of Giugliano is experiencing an extraordinary period of discoveries, first with the Tomb of Cerberus and now with this necropolis," he said, according to National Geographic Historia. He emphasized that "the quality of the structures and their good state of conservation allow us to enrich our knowledge about the history of the colony of Liternum and deepen the study of the sociocultural context of the time".
Among the finds are several marble funerary inscriptions, some of which are still intact. Most notably, one of the inscriptions bears the epitaph of a gladiator.
The finding suggests that Liternum was not only a residential area but also a resting place for gladiators after their careers in the arena.
The grave goods found within the burials include coins, oil lamps, and small vessels, offering insights into the daily life, ritual practices, and social dynamics of the Liternum community. The stratigraphy of these structures, along with the discovery of such artifacts, provides a deeper understanding of the funerary customs and social interactions of the community.
The discoveries have prompted new hypotheses regarding the spatial organization of the Roman colony, particularly concerning the layout of the ancient Via Domitiana, traditionally lined with necropolises.
The article was written with the assistance of a news analysis system.