LAVINIUM

Altitude 85 m (279 feet). 17 inhabitants

Archaeological site on the hill of the village PRATICA DI MARE

It was the mother-city of all Latin peoples, the city from which all the other cities in the area of today’s Lazio region would have originated

According to the legend it was founded by Aeneas after he landed in the area, won the war against the Rutulis from Ardea and married Lavinia, daughter of King Latinus

The site was inhabited since the Bronze Age, and its urbanization, as for most other Latin cities, dates back to the second half of the seventh century BC

There are some remaining parts of the WALLS, which included an area of ​​about 30 hectares (75 acres) and, in the south east, traces of a GATE

Inside the city there are remains of BATHS of the imperial period

In the sloping plateau there is the SANTUARIO DELLE TREDICI ARE (Sanctuary of the Thirteenth Altars) not all dating back to the same period:

The first three (numbers 8, 9, and 13) are dated to the sixth century BC

Probably it was a temple dedicated to Venus (the Aphrodision mentioned by the sources)

At about 100 m (330 feet) east, remains of a mound rightly identified as the so called HEROON OF AENEAS: earth mound of the fourth century BC that covered a large archaic tomb of the early seventh century BC

To the east of the city there is a LARGE VOTIVE DEPOSIT consisting of large votive terracotta statues