This season’s excavations at the colony of Castrum Novum concentrated on sectors DI, DIV, DVII and DIX. The excavations were carried out by a team from the Museum of the Sea and Ancient Navigation in collaboration with Západočeská University (Czech Republic).

In sector DI, the stratigraphic deposit was completely excavated in room 2. Of interest, a rectangular scaglia stone block with a central hole through it, situated in the NW part of the room. The wedging of the block (US 71) was excavated and constitutes the earliest occupation evidence in this sector and the entire excavation – confirmed by the underlying natural.
In sector DIV, in the eastern part of the castrum, the area of the east gate, dating to the Republican period and part of the decumanus were investigated. Only the first course of the dry-stone wall built of scaglia stone blocks was preserved. However, it was possible to reconstruct at least partially the gate that projected into the interior.

The layers identified here, which overlay monumental structures, were formed by soil mixed with a substantial amount of modern elements (18th – 20th centuries). The extension of the excavation of the road towards the west linked sector DIV to DVII. Room 1 (identified in 2018) was excavated within the latter sector, but its use remains uncertain. An extension to the west linked this trench with sector DIX.

Room 1 (2.90 × 8.00 m) was completely excavated. The walls were faced with reddish plaster. Of particular interest was the floor constituted by basoli covered by patches of limestone concretions, and the two rectangular stone blocks with rounded extremities, situated at the centre of the room.

Sector DIX is of particular importance as it is situated close to the southern edge of the presumed forum. The northern part of what is thought to be a large public building, probably of Augustan date, was exposed. Two rooms were identified (AMB1, AMB2), delimited by walls made of stone and brick, which may belong to a public building (Augustan?) that is difficult to date. On the north side, adjacent to the forum, a colonnade came to light, of which only the bases were preserved. Thanks to the discovery of marble fragments (the middle toe of a foot and a hand with a ring), it is possible to suggest the presence of life-size marble statues. Lastly, a floor made up of irregular white stones interspersed with black ones was uncovered. The excavation of this sector identified the remains of public buildings probably dating to the Republican and imperial periods and in use until the early 5th century A.D.