Read on to find out about the Roman roots of country life in Le Marche
Preamble:The Anglo-Italian friendship which inspired this post
In summer 2012 the Suasa excavations were, sadly, not open to the public, because the previous winter’s heavy snow had caused the (modern protective) roof to fall in over a part of them. Nevertheless, a member of the team kindly showed us round the site, partly because after an interesting lecture on “Archeologia preventiva: il caso dell ager suasanus”, we had made ourselves known to them, as English people from the nation which pioneered non-digging archaeology, and sharers of the Suasa team’s admiration for our fellow countryman, Dr J P Williams -Freeman, a Hampshire man, the pioneer of field archaeology and the use of aerial photography in archaeology.
Life in Roman Suasa
Religion
Susa forum (taken by Edward Fennell)
In fact this is just one of the fora which have been discovered in Suasa. It included an area sacra, or sacred area. Here two temples have been discovered, one circular (a monopteros, or circular roofless colonnade), the other rectangular.
Plumbing
Roman Road from the late imperial period (Edward Fennell)
A lead pipe ran beside this road, with smaller pipes running off from it to individual buildings.
Public life
Even in the troubled third century AD, there is still evidence of building in Suasa, including one structure which was possibly a Curia, or seat of local government (cf the Curia or Senate-house in the Roman Forum). The public buildings are large in relation to the size of the town, which suggests that it served the local rural population as well as the urban inhabitants.
There was a pre-Roman road underneath the late imperial road, which suggests that a settlement existed here before the Romans came. Judging by the pottery finds, Suasa was re-founded as a Latin colony of Roman citizens; however,from Gallic and Picene survivals we may deduce that the previous inhabitants were not totally wiped out.
Last but not least – Country folk
Our local way of life goes back two thousand years. Traces of field-markings in the local area suggest that the country round Suasa was not an area of latifundia or large estates, as on the Tyrrhenian coast, but of small peasant proprietors, as today.
Hill towns of Le Marche, Italy 
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Where did the stone come from and where did it go to?
Seeing the lower courses of the fora one wonders where was the source of the stone used to build Suasa and – even more tantalising – what happened to it after the city’s destruction/abandonment. Presumably the major buildings became a quarry for invaders to pillage. But is there any sign of the stone being recylced in the surrounding small towns?
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Perhaps the stone came from the more mountainous areas higher up the Cesano.
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What we leave behind in the region of Suasa. The Romans left traces of roads, temples and public buildings. You left behind your notes on said artefacts. Following their Christmas visit my sons left behind a cat-snagged hoodie, an odd sock and an assortment of presents too heavy for Ryan Air. Happy New Year!
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Why is it that half my socks are in Corinaldo and half in England, but it is the matching pairs that have been separated?
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