LAVINIUM - THE DISTANT PAST

We have reached the point where a road branches off from the coastal road to Pratica di Mare, which is situated next to Pomezia. We will make an inland excursion here. The ancient settlement Lavinium has been located in the area of the borgo of Pratica di Mare. It is famous especially for its very ancient remains. We will not focus on these, but a passing reference must be made. Next to the borgo is the Museo Civico Archeologico Lavinium.

Particularly famous are the Sanctuary of the Thirteen Altars and the Heroon of Aeneas. The Heroon is a tomb from the 7th-6th century BC. Inevitably it has been called the tomb of Aeneas, but it may actually be a Heroon discussed in the first century BC by Dionysius of Halicarnassus:

The Latins built a hero-shrine to Aeneas with this inscription: 'To the father and god of this place, who presides over the waters of the river Numicius'. But there are some who say the shrine was erected by Aeneas in honour of Anchises, who died in the year before this war. It is a small mound, round which have been set out in regular rows trees that are well worth seeing.

Dionysius of Halicarnassus, Roman Antiquities I,64,5. Translation E. Cary

The Heroon of Aeneas. Photo: Wikimedia.

The Sanctuary of the Thirteen Altars was founded in the 6th century BC, and extended during the next two centuries. It was abandoned in the 3rd century BC. The nature of the place is unknown. One possibility is, that it was a federal shrine of the various populations living in the area.

The Sanctuary of the Thirteen Altars. Photo: Wikimedia.

Nearby is a church called today Santa Maria delle Vigne, nicknamed La Madonella. It was built at the end of the 5th century by pope Gelasius I and called Santa Maria in Via Laurentina. It was built on top of a villa.

The church of Santa Maria delle Vigne. Photo: vici.org.

A movie about the church, made by the Associazione Pro Loco Pomezia.