2,000-Year-Old Basilica Linked to Vitruvius Discovered in Italy
Recently, Italian archaeologists made an exciting find—a basilica that’s about 2,000 years old, believed to be connected to Vitruvius, who is often referred to as the father of architecture.
This significant discovery took place in Fano, a city approximately 250 miles northeast of Rome. The announcement was made during a press conference held with Italian officials on January 19.
Officials have classified the remnants of this structure as a basilica, a type of public building that, prior to the rise of Christianity, primarily served civil purposes rather than religious ones.
Images from the site show archaeologists working around the ancient stone remains, which featured a rectangular design, boasting ten columns on the longer sides and four on the shorter sides. Interestingly, experts affirm that this is the sole building that can be confidently connected to Vitruvius.
Vitruvius, who lived around 80-70 BC and passed away in 15 BC, is renowned for his work titled ‘Architectural Theory.’ This ancient text is a foundational document in architecture, consisting of ten treatises on architecture, engineering, and urban planning, making it the oldest surviving work in that field.
His influence is so profound that artists like Leonardo da Vinci paid tribute to him with works such as the “Vitruvian Man.” Additionally, his writings have left a mark on the work of architects like Christopher Wren and Andrea Palladio.
Andrea Pessina, a regional archeology supervisor, noted that there’s an “absolute correspondence” between the basilica discovered and the structure described in Vitruvius’s works. He mentioned, “There are very few certainties in archaeology, but we were impressed by the accuracy of this match.”
Archaeologists are set to continue their work at this intriguing site, with the hope of uncovering more remains in the future. They express a desire to eventually open it to the public.
Italian Culture Minister Alessandro Giuli referred to the find as a “sensational discovery,” suggesting that, in years to come, it will be a topic of conversation among future generations.
Fano’s mayor, Luca Serfilippi, proclaimed this discovery as “the discovery of the century,” noting that researchers had been on the hunt for this basilica for hundreds of years. He remarked, “Scientists and researchers have been searching for this basilica for more than 500 years.”
This discovery is part of a series of recent archaeological finds related to ancient Rome. Just last autumn, archaeologists uncovered a large stone basin belonging to Gabii, a city that once rivaled Rome. Moreover, prior to that, a helmet from the famous Battle of Aegates, dating back to 241 BC, was found in Sicily.
