Nuove ricerche archeologiche presso la villa di Teoderico

The excavation of the archaeological site which takes its name from the Ostrogothic king Theoderic were conducted from 1998 to 2016 by the University of Bologna, joined, starting in 2016, by the University of Parma, which took over sole direction of the project in 2018. Theodoric’s villa complex in Galeata is one of the latest examples, at least within the Italian peninsula, of the typology of great private residences of late antiquity. The site is multi-layered and characterised by seventeen centuries of occupation, from the 6th century B.C. to the 12th century A.D. Important new knowledge of the pre-Roman (a settlement of the late iron age) and Roman (a large villa) phases of the site have been acquired. The most important results, however, concern the late ancient phase. The excavations, in fact, have led to a new interpretation of the complex known as the “Palace” or villa of the Gothic king Theodoric. The most significant discovery, referable to the 2018 excavations by the University of Parma, relates in fact to the Theoderician phase of the site: an octagonal room, attributable to the most prestigious sector of the complex and paved with an extraordinary well-preserved mosaic, was brought to light. Excavations are currently being conducted in the neighbouring areas of the octagonal room, Which are also paved with mosaic.