Immediately at the foot of the Rione Terra investigations were renewed below the “Educandato femminile” in the area of the imperial forum. In particular the remains of a nyphaeum fountain were identified. This structure, which functioned as a backdrop to the public space, had previously been documented in the 1950s. In front of the fountain a stretch of basalt paving emerged, delimited by a portico on the eastern edge of the forum, and part of the area’s monumental fittings emerged.

Close to the forum, during work on a building situated on the north side of the via Carmine which follows the line of the ancient road leading to the forum, excavation brought to light another notable monumental fountain. This was fed by the Serino aqueduct which was also identified during the investigations.

The opus reticulatum structure, had a rather complex plan which looked to grotto-nymphaeum models. Starting from and then running parallel to the basalt road, a monumental staircase with steps of piperno and intermediate landings, circa 15 m long led down to the fountain. The fountain structure comprised a high opus reticulatum wall with a parapet of moulded piperno blocks. The fountain head had a marble spout in the form of a lion’s head. The reservoir behind the fountain was a large vaulted cistern and was fed by a pipe on the wall above which derived from the Serino aqueduct. On the downhill wall was another pipe, running below the ancient road, which permitted the down flow of water from the fountain reservoir to the two large cisterns present in the gardens of Villa Avellino. At road level, a small sacellum with a mosaic floor built on the vault of the cistern indicated the presence of the fountain to passers-by.