SETTE BASSI VILLA

VILLA DEI SETTE BASSI

Via Tuscolana 1245

On the ancient Via Latina (the current Via Tuscolana), on the right after Cinecittà, one of the largest private suburban complexes that, together with the Villa dei Quintili, took, in the eighteenth century, the name of Roma Vecchia (Old Rome)

The name probably comes from Septimius Bassus a Praefectus Urbi owner of the villa at the time of Septimius Severus (193/211)

The villa was definitely inhabited until the fifth century

Three distinct groups of buildings around a garden (327 x 95 m - 1073 x 312 feet):

1) EAST OF THE GARDEN 134/139 preceded by a rustic villa of the late Republican period, made up of a peristyle with columns and ambulatory

2) WEST OF THE GARDEN immediately after 140, a group of relatively large rooms was added

3) NORTH OF THE GARDEN 140/150 extremely strong substructures were built to bridge the difference in height of 5.20 m (17 feet) with the second area where two cryptoporticos and other service areas were built

The eastern part of this area consists of baths, a large living room and a smaller room. On the lower terrace the racecourse for horses was built

Around this complex of buildings there are remains of other facilities including a large room with a cross vault, a cistern that was connected by a private tunnel with the Aqua Claudia aqueduct and a substantial building made out of bricks, maybe a small temple in antis

In addition there is a LARGE BUILDING in the direction of the Osteria del Curato which may have been the winter pavilion