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89 BCE
Latin colony
Located in a highly strategic area, crossed by many roads connecting the region of Liguria and Emilia Veleia is acknowledged as a latin colony -
49 BCE
Municipium
Thanks to Julius Caesar who merged Gallia Cisalpina into Roman Italy, Veleia became a Municipium (latin term for a town or city) -
13
The forum
A forum is a rectangular plaza usually build by the Romans with marble. In this particular case the forum is closed on the southern side by the basilica while on the other 3 sides it is surrounded by columns and portico facing private houses and public spaces. In ancient roman cities, a forum is the main center of public and private life. -
14
The pavement of the forum
During the era of Augustus (in the Julio-Claudian dynasty) the forum was paved by Lucio Licinio Prisco an important local magistrate. The main reason he commissioned the work was to leave something in memory of his fame. -
30
Other features of the forum
The forum is surrounded on all sides by drainage channels used to route the water that flowed through the slight slope (almost imperceptible) with which the plaza was built. As in many Roman forums, also the forum of Veleia was home for many statues, but for the most part only the bases remain. Studying the inscriptions of two of these, it can be traced that they were dedicated to two emperors: Claudio and Vespasiano. -
69
The archeological site of Veleia
In this image, taken from google maps, you can see the layout of the main buildings of the Veleia. -
Period: 300 to
Oblivion
During this period the city of Veleia is forgotten -
The Tabula Alimentaria
The Tabula Alimentaria Traiana, the largest inscribed bronze tablet of antiquity, was found by chance -
Excavations
Excavations begun on the site in 1760 on behalf of Don Filippo di Borbone, duke of Parma, Piacenza and Guastalla, near the discovery area of the Tabula Alimentaria Traviana. The forum, the basilica, the thermae, the statues and some artifacts were discovered during the excavations.
It was also found that Veleia had been built on the slopes of a hill and that all the buildings were placed on different levels. -
Objects found
Among the findings were a bronze plate containing a fragment of a juridical text emanated by Julius Caesar (Lex De Gallia Cisalpina), a portrait of a young woman and some small bronze statues -
Antiquarium
In 1975 the Antiquarium is opened, which is home to small finds made during excavations and which serve to explain the history of Veleia.
The Tabula and most of the original objects found can be seen at the National Archaeological Museum of Parma, opened in 1752.
