Near the town of Tolve on the plain of S.Pietro, between Mounts Stallone and Moltone, is the site of a villa rustica. This was occupied from the 1st century A.D. to the first half of the 6th century A.D. and then again in the medieval period. The villa faced onto the “tratturo” (drove-road) known in the Aragonese period as the Regio, linking the inland territory of Potenza with the Tavoliere delle Puglie. The excavation of the villa begun in 1988 revealed five occupation periods. Between the 1st century A.D. and the beginning of the 2nd century A.D. the first villa was built, of which the _triclinium_, three probable _oeci_ and a _pars rustica_ are preserved, all facing onto a peristyle. The villa was enlarged between the beginning of the 2nd century and the mid 3rd century A.D., to the north a large bath complex, a latrine and a sewer system for water drainage were built, to the south a granary was built and large open spaces for production activities and other services were created. Between the mid 3rd and the first half of the 6th century A.D. the villa underwent few alterations which did not modify the overall plan, but redefined the spaces which were perhaps destined for a small community of peasants/colonists. Sometime between the 14th and first half of the 15th century a new rectangular structure, perhaps a shepherd’s house, was built over the ruins of the villa. Finally, occasional use of the area was attested in the modern period. The villa’s economy was based on the combined activities of agriculture, animal husbandry and crafts. Mill stones ( _molae_ ) of various sizes and animal bones attest the classic combination of cereal growing-sheep/goat raising for the use of meat and secondary products, such as milk and wool which were among the region’s main products. In the first half of the 1st century A.D. the structure housed a spinning industry that used workers and was managed by a _lanipendus_ – _Lucius Domitius Cnidus_. He was probably a freedman of _Domitia Lepida_, Nero’s aunt, who also owned large stock-raising farms in nearby _Calabria_. Alongside the spinning industry, at least until the first half of the 3rd century A.D., pottery and _dolia_ were also produced. These productions were attested by the discovery of five kilns, implements for smoothing clay, lead seals for stamping tiles, kiln spacers, wasters and lamp moulds. The information provided by epigraphic, archaeological and historical evidence make it possible to suggest that the site soon became an Imperial property following changes in ownership. (Helga Di Giuseppe)