This was the seventh year of the University of the Salento’s excavations in the urban area of Aquinum, in the locality of S. Pietro Vetere, territory of Castrocielo (FR).
The research concentrated on two rooms of the large bath building identified in the past. The excavation area was extended in order to regularize its perimeter and gain an overall understanding of the bath building. At the same time, the campaign of aerial archaeology and remote sensing using drones continued.

Excavation also took place in other sectors, in an area that the local administration aims to acquire. Large structures are present here that fall within the urban area of the ancient city: the so-called apsidal building and the theatre.
Research took place immediately north of the ancient via Latina in the area of the so-called apsidal building. Trenches were opened in the north, south and east parts of the building, aimed at gaining an overall understanding of the structure and its phases. The excavation area was defined “Area 9000”, and in addition to a trench dug in the building’s perimeter, another was opened just to the east, “Trench A”.

For the first time excavations also took place in the theatre of Aquinum (north-eastern area). The excavated area (Area 15000) covered c. 285 m2 and was situated immediately north of the via Latina and south-west of the Via Civita Vetere, and west of and close to the so-called apsidal building.