The locality of Sant’Antonio was already known in the 1970s as an area of archaeological interest both from published material and for the presence of the Roman cistern known as ‘il murraccio’. The archaeological association of the Valdelsa Fiorentina has periodically surveyed the area, each time collecting finds that included mosaic tesserae, pottery fragments, and coins.

Agricultural work led to archaeological investigations that made it possible to mark out the area, where the archaeological remains needed to be protected.
The 2018 excavations on the site of S. Antonio-Montaione had two main objectives:
1. The cleaning of the structures in Area 3000 (the baths), in order to further document the construction techniques and thus provide a more precise date for the construction and remodelling of the bath complex.
2. To extend the excavation area, with excavation in the strip immediately south of the baths (Area 7000), where in previous campaigns walls were recorded at the edge of the wood.

AREA 3000. This area, already extended during past campaigns, includes the monumental structures of the Roman villa’s baths.
This year further cleaning of the robbed structures and of the surrounding area took place, revealing the building techniques used in the bath complex and at least two distinct construction phases. Hypothetically, the two phases are:
1. The construction of the bath complex, which originally must have been characterised by walls completely covered in a thick layer of whitish-pink waterproof plaster. Comparison with other remains with a similar function in Tuscany suggest that this phase can be indicatively dated to a period between the 1st and 2nd centuries A.D.
2. A subsequent phase of monumentalisation, during which the architectural decoration of the baths underwent substantial changes. The walls were faced with marble, while the floors were rebuilt using mosaics. Comparison with similar mosaics in Italy suggest a 3rd – 4th century A.D. date

AREA 7000 (Area 7000, 7100, 7200, 7300)
Here, excavation took place in the strip immediately south of the baths, where in previous years parts of walls came to light on the edge of the wooded area. The agricultural top soil was removed using mechanical means and the stratigraphic excavations revealed at least four phases:
Phase 1. Occupation of the structures
Phase 2. Abandonment of the structures
Phase 3. Sporadic occupation of the area
Phase 4. Agricultural use of the area.
The archaeological area thus appears to be of great interest and it is suggested that the identified buildings were part of the baths attached to a Roman villa, to which the cistern also certainly belonged.