For five years, excavations have been underway in the ‘lost’ Roman amphitheatre of Volterra. ArchaeoReporter could not have chosen a better location for its first story. The report features aerial images taken with a drone, as well as close-ups of the site, which was discovered in 2015 and continuously challenges what is known about classical archaeology. The amphitheatre was once home to fierce gladiators and gruesome battles, but more importantly it is considered to be a symbol of the romanisation of Etruria. Elena Sorge, the scientific director at the Archaeological Superintendence of Pisa and Livorno [Officially: Soprintendenza archeologica di Pisa e Livorno], guides us through the work site, where archaeological investigations and restoration efforts are carried out simultaneously, unearthing new findings month after month. 2020 has marked the discovery of the underground passageways and tunnels, as well as of the vaulted corridor, coins and other finds that are critical for dating the site, which is currently thought to come from the Julio-Claudian era.
This discovery was actually made by accident during the maintenance work being carried out on a moat previously excavated in the 1950s. It is a small, rapid stream of water flowing down the Volterra hill, right behind Porta Diana and a little downhill from the Roman theatre. The Superintendence has entrusted the monitoring of the area to professional archaeologists, a typical example of preventive archaeology.