The ancient Roman municipium of Suasa stands on the right bank of the river Cesano in the Marche and in antiquity it fell within the Regio VI . In recent years, excavations have mainly concentrated on two sectors of the ancient urban area (extension circa 18 hectares): the forum on one side of the basalt paved main road and on the other a residential area comprising the mid-Imperial house named the domus of the Coeidii. The 2009 campaign concentrated on the northern part of the forum. Below a sequence of tabernae delimiting the forum on this side, the remains of a number of earlier cult buildings emerged with altars standing in front of them. One of the buildings was a previously known rectangular structure of Republican date (circa 2nd century B.C.), another was circular and its base had been uncovered in 2009. These were revealed to be a circular building on a podium and a rectangular building with clay walls on a masonry footing. The 2009 excavations revealed the internal organisation of the latter which comprised a number of tile built walls which are still being excavated.

On the other front, the excavation looked at the courtyard of the domus of the Coeidii (2nd century A.D.). Recently the private baths were uncovered, built soon after the main building of the large dwelling (second half of the 2nd century A.D.). During the 2009 campaign extensive stratigraphical excavations were undertaken in order to confirm the building chronology. A number of walls emerged belonging to subsequent constructions, relating to a late phase of ruralisation of the urban area. These structures, successively robbed, seemed to have obliterated one of the prefurnia (or an inspection opening for the cleaning of the hypocausts) within the baths. Overall the stratigraphy, including a deep dump rich in large amphora fragments with flat bases (2nd-3rd century A.D.), confirms the preceding chronology for the baths.

Important data also emerged from an analysis of the finds from the latest excavations. Some of the deep stratigraphy, at times associated with walls revealed finds datable to at least the first half of the 3rd century B.C., both imported and local. Finds linked to the Picenan tradition were also present. This data together with other more recent information has led to a revision of the chronology relating to the birth of the Roman settlement. It seems that Romanisation, and thus the process of urbanisation occurred within an already complex, stratified and multicultural (Gaulish and Piceno) fabric in an early period, probably after the battle of Sentino (295 B.C.) and certainly before the lex Flaminia (232 a.C.).

Lastly, the final part of the 2009 campaign was dedicated to the geophysical survey and kite aerial photography as part of the University of Bologna summer school “in depth without digging”. The school welcomed students of various nationalities (including Iraq and the United Arab Emirates) and availed itself of some of the main experts in this field linked to several international institutes (universities of Siena, Modena, Reggio Emilia, Denver in Colorado, Munich, CNR Paris). The survey results, still being processed, reveal an unknown physiognomy for the urban area and perhaps provide a reason to link the town to several large public structures, such as the forum and amphitheatre. In the next years these investigations will form the basis of the research plan, which will aim to clarify some of the anomalies in the urban plan of Suasa (for example no town walls are known).