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Excavation

  • Terme di Agnano
  • Agnano
  •  
  • Italy
  • Campania
  • Naples
  • Naples

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Credits

  • The Italian Database is the result of a collaboration between:

    MIBAC (Ministero per i Beni e le Attività Culturali - Direzione Generale per i Beni Archeologici),

    ICCD (Istituto Centrale per il Catalogo e la Documentazione) and

    AIAC (Associazione Internazionale di Archeologia Classica).

  • AIAC_logo logo

Summary (English)

  • The Roman baths of Agnano form one of the largest archaeological complexes in the territory of Neapolis, situated on the latter’s border with Puteoli, along the road linking the two cities. The area saw intense occupation from the Augustan period onwards, in a zone where a Hellenistic settlement already existed.
    The complex of the baths of Agnano is formed by four distinct archaeological areas (Hellenistic complex, Grotta del Cane, Roman baths, Roman bridge), which fall within the area occupied by the modern Agnano Thermal Spa structures, along the edge of the ancient caldera of Agnano that only became a lake in the medieval period. The area never fully captured the interest of scholars and remained at the edge of archaeological research for very long periods. The baths were discovered when the land was acquired by a private individual for the enhancement of the hydrogeological resources of the area and industrial development of the thermal waters known as the “stufe di San Germano”.
    Both the structures of the so-called Grotta del Cane, presently inaccessible due to the high temperatures and presence of poisonous gases, and of the Hellenistic complex are closely connected with the Roman baths. The Hellenistic structure is a massive terracing wall of tufa blocks, on top of which several Roman structures were built sometime within the 3rd century B.C. The terrace wall, partially covered by water from one of the springs that still feed the spa complex, was connected in antiquity to a spring, as attested by a channel made of tufa blocks that crosses it. The presence of a dedication to Hygiea, found in the foundation layers of the channel, suggests the structures were part of a sanctuary of Asclepius and Hygiea, which used the curative properties of the springs. The Roman complex stands at a certain distance from the Greek structures and at the moment there is no evidence of a direct relationship between the two buildings. They stand on the south-western side of the Agnano basin, on the slopes of Monte Spina. At present the main terrace is clearly visible, occupied by the service rooms and several hot and cold rooms.

    The Baths at Agnano exploited the natural heat from the ancient volcanic calderas to heat the rooms.
    The complex has previously been dated to the Hadrianic period; however the evidence from new excavations has moved the date of their first phase back to at least the Augustan period.

  • Marco Giglio - Università degli Studi di Napoli “L’Orientale” 

Director

Team

Research Body

  • Università degli Studi di Napoli “L’Orientale”

Funding Body

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