Colle Plinio (resti della villa romana di Plinio il Giovane)

Colle Plinio, the hill above San Giustino, preserves remains of a Roman estate traditionally identified with Pliny the Younger’s villa in Tuscis. Archaeological finds from the site include walls, mosaics, marble columns, statues, inscriptions and coins.

Why it matters

The site links a well-known Roman estate described in Pliny’s letters with the landscape of the upper Tiber valley. The identification remains traditional rather than certain, while the archaeological remains document a substantial Roman rural complex and later activity on the hill.

What to notice

The excavated area lies in the campo di Santa Fiora between the Lama and Valdimonte streams. Much of the Roman fabric survives at foundation level within agricultural land. Remains recorded at the site include mosaics, columns, statues, capitals and inscriptions; evidence of wine production and later reuse broadens the picture beyond the residential complex. Villa Cappelletti stands above the excavated area on the hill.

Context and history

Systematic excavation began in 1974 after agricultural work exposed ancient structures. Archaeological and topographical investigations by the Universities of Perugia and Alicante, with the Soprintendenza, continued between 1986 and 2003. Finds document activity from the third century BC through the late-antique and medieval periods. The Museo della Villa di Plinio il Giovane at Villa Graziani presents material from the site and its interpretation.