Archaeological area of Tuscolo - Monteporzio Catone
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The archaeological area of the town of Tuscolo is set on the summit of a hill between the ancient Via Latina and Via Labicana, on the edge of the large caldera of the volcano in Lazio.
The mythical origins of Tuscolum, according to ancient writers, are attributed to Telegonus, son of Ulysses and Circe, or to Silvio, descendent of Enea and king of Albalonga: a settlement dating back to the Bronze Age, before the Latin town of which we know the history, has been brought to light by the archaeological investigations.
The amphitheatre, just outside the area in question, was still in use up to the beginning of the 3rd century with documented public activity up to the beginning of the 5th century. The archaeological digs that have been conducted by the Escuela Española since 1994 have allowed the reconstruction of the central area with the southern part of the piazza of the forum closed by a large building with an arcade.
Walls, underground passageways and cisterns have been brought to light as well as the so-called “Villa of Tiberius”, a great extra-urban sanctuary of the republican period, which may have been devoted to Castor and Pollux.
Along the roads that connected Tuscolo with Via Labicana and Via Latina, there are many burial monuments and the numerous villas that rose in the tuscolano area belonging to the members of the imperial families, like Tiberius, Nero, Galba and Mathidia.
The last documented building phase dates back to medieval times, evidently linked to the political rise of the Counts of Tuscolo. Many large, solid houses are been discovered that show high-density urbanisation.
Therefore, it must have been an important settlement. The fortress was destroyed by the army of the Commune of Rome in 1191.
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