Museo di San Mamiliano

The Museum of San Mamiliano occupies the former church of San Mamiliano in Sovana. Restoration revealed Roman remains beneath the floor and a fifth-century hoard of 498 gold coins, discoveries that shaped the museum's focus.

Why it matters

During restoration of the former church, archaeologists uncovered a Roman bath complex and a small vessel containing 498 gold solidi buried beneath the floor. The discovery in 2004 led the museum to interpret the site through the coins and the history of late-antique Sovana. The hoard is among the notable late-antique gold finds in Italy.

What to notice

Parts of the church floor reveal archaeological remains beneath the building, including structures associated with the Roman bath complex. Displays trace the site's Etruscan and Roman material. The fifth-century solidi form the centre of the collection; they were minted under several late Roman emperors and include coins from mints such as Rome, Ravenna, Milan and Arles. The hoard tells the story of wealth buried during a period of political uncertainty and never recovered.

Context and history

San Mamiliano is one of Sovana's oldest religious buildings, with early phases built over Etruscan and Roman remains. For centuries it served as the village's parish church, while the Duomo served the bishopric. The church became a museum during a restoration conducted with the Soprintendenza. It opened in 2012, after the hoard's discovery in 2004.