Villa Gordiani: A Roman Patrician Villa Complex in Rome

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Country: Italy

Civilization: Roman

Remains: Domestic

History

Villa Gordiani is situated near the third mile of the ancient Roman road Via Prenestina, within the modern boundaries of Rome. The site originated as a patrician villa complex during the Roman Empire, with its initial construction predating the 3rd century AD. It is traditionally linked to the Gordian family, which produced three emperors—Gordian I, Gordian II, and Gordian III—who ruled during the mid-3rd century. This association is based on historical tradition rather than definitive archaeological evidence.

During the 2nd and 3rd centuries AD, the villa underwent several phases of renovation and expansion. Ancient literary sources, including the Historia Augusta, describe the estate as featuring a grand portico supported by 200 columns made from diverse marbles such as Carian marble, red porphyry, and stones from Phrygia and Numidia. The complex also included basilicas and baths, which were reputed to be among the most magnificent in Rome and unmatched elsewhere in the empire. Despite these descriptions, a comprehensive archaeological study of the entire villa has not been completed.

In the late 3rd and early 4th centuries AD, further additions were made to the complex, including a columbarium (a structure for storing funerary urns), cisterns for water storage, and a monumental octagonal vestibule. These constructions likely date to the reigns of emperors Diocletian and Constantine I. The octagonal hall, probably used for thermal bathing, was later incorporated into a medieval defensive tower known as Tor de’ Schiavi. This tower, erected in the 13th century, served as a watchtower and played a role in military conflicts involving the Colonna family during the 14th and 15th centuries.

Archaeological excavations have been sporadic. In 1958, a columbarium dating from the late Republican to early Imperial period (1st century BC to 1st century AD) was uncovered near the intersection of Via Prenestina and Via Olevano Romano. Investigations in the 1980s focused on the remains of an early Christian basilica adjacent to the mausoleum, revealing a structure with a circus-shaped ambulatory plan dating to the 4th century AD. The mausoleum itself, a two-level circular brick building, is attributed to the Diocletian era or later, as indicated by imperial brick stamps. It was used for funerary ceremonies and is closely associated with the nearby basilica.

A small two-story catacomb carved into rock was discovered on the eastern side of the park in 1953. Its religious affiliation remains uncertain, as no definitive evidence has established whether it was used by pagan or Christian communities.

Remains

The archaeological site of Villa Gordiani comprises the largely buried remains of a Roman patrician villa complex that experienced multiple construction phases. Due to incomplete excavation, precise dimensions of the complex remain undetermined. The layout includes residential, funerary, and utilitarian structures spanning from the late Republican period through the late Roman Empire.

A prominent feature is the octagonal hall that served as the monumental entrance to the villa. This structure has round openings to admit natural light and was originally covered by a hemispherical dome. The dome’s vault was lightened by the insertion of amphorae, a common Roman technique to reduce weight. In the 13th century, the medieval tower known as Tor de’ Schiavi was constructed atop this hall. The tower is supported by a large cylindrical pillar and contains staircases leading to multiple floors, reflecting its later military function.

The cistern, dating to the 2nd century AD, is a two-level vaulted structure designed for water storage. It contains two tanks and features barrel-vaulted ceilings, demonstrating advanced Roman hydraulic engineering.

The columbarium near the corner of Via Prenestina and Via Olevano Romano is a funerary edifice with niches intended for urns. It dates from the late Republican to early Imperial period, approximately the 1st century BC to 1st century AD, and represents one of the earliest funerary components of the site.

The mausoleum is a two-story circular brick building with a vaulted dome on the upper floor. This dome was illuminated by four circular oculi (round openings). The lower floor contains an annular corridor with a barrel vault supported by a central pillar. Sarcophagi were placed within wall niches along this corridor. Originally, the mausoleum’s facade featured a portico and staircase facing Via Prenestina; these elements collapsed in the mid-18th century.

Adjacent to the mausoleum are the remains of an early Christian basilica, which include pillars with arches and a perimeter wall outlining a plan approximately 67 meters in length. The basilica’s layout resembles ambulatory basilicas with a circus-shaped ambulatory, a design uncommon in Roman architecture and dating to the 4th century AD.

The small catacomb discovered in 1953 on the eastern side of the park is carved directly into the rock and consists of two stories. It contains burial niches and arcosolia (arched recesses for tombs). However, its religious affiliation remains undetermined due to the absence of conclusive evidence.