The Suasa Project

The definitive scientific breakthrough in our understanding of the middle Cesano valley came in 1987 with the launch of the Suasa Project, the result of a historic collaboration between the Superintendency, the Municipal Council of Castelleone di Suasa and the University of Bologna. Launched under the direction of Professors Pier Luigi Dall’Aglio and Sandro De Maria, the Project is now one of the longest-running and most systematic excavation and research programmes in Italian archaeology. The investigations, which began by exploring areas initially considered marginal, quickly yielded fundamental data on the late imperial period, paving the way for a season of unprecedented discoveries.

 Between the 1980s and the early 2000s, the University of Bologna’s training excavations brought to light the main monuments of the Roman city, defining the monumental character of the ancient town centre. During this period, the famous Domus dei Coiedii, the Casa del Primo Stile, the Commercial Forum, and the northern and southern necropolises were discovered. A moment of particular scientific significance was the discovery of the Theatre in 2003, identified thanks to meticulous monitoring of traces in the vegetation, a technique that confirmed the site’s suitability for non-invasive archaeology.

 This long process of research led to the official inauguration of the Archaeological Park of the Roman City of Suasa on 24 June 2000. Its permanent opening to the public laid the foundations for an integrated museum network that now encompasses the municipalities of Castelleone di Suasa, San Lorenzo in Campo and Corinaldo, making the material culture and history of the area accessible to a wide audience. A further enhancement project took place in 2011 when, thanks to European funding, the modern road dividing the park was removed, allowing the Via del Foro to be brought back to light and physically reconnecting the city’s main monumental areas.

Over the years, Suasa has established itself as a veritable testing ground for cutting-edge diagnostic technologies. The particular nature of the soil and the shallow burial of the remains make the site ideal for the application of geophysics and remote sensing. A fundamental methodological turning point was the international Summer School ‘In Profondità Senza Scavare’ (In Depth Without Digging), launched in 2008–2009. This initiative brought together researchers from around the world to experiment with techniques capable of mapping buried structures whilst limiting the need for extensive excavation, defining a new paradigm that now guides research: stratigraphic excavation is used primarily for targeted investigations, allowing the archaeological deposit to be preserved and maintenance costs to be reduced.

 Following this approach, since 2012 investigations have focused on targeted surveys and excavations, such as those conducted in the Eastern Necropolis.

Between 2018 and 2024, research in the “Tappatino” area revealed the existence of a large porticoed square with a monumental public building, probably a temple from the Imperial period.

The most recent campaigns, continuing until 2025, are exploring the outskirts of the ancient settlement to investigate the relationship between urban spaces, burial grounds and productive areas, leading to the identification of an entire artisan quarter along the Via del Foro, which opens up new perspectives on the economic life of Suasa.

Education and the Third Mission: a community asset

In addition to its scientific value, the Suasa Project is a centre of excellence for university education. Every summer, the laboratories and excavation sites are brought to life by students and young researchers from the Bologna and Ravenna campuses, forming a ‘school of classical archaeology’ that has trained generations of professionals now working in universities and heritage authorities.

 The University of Bologna works in close collaboration with the local community through Third Mission initiatives, such as summer conferences and ‘open excavation’ days. This commitment has transformed the Park into a centre of collective memory, officially recognised by the FAI as a ‘Place of the Heart’ in 2014.

 Today, thanks to the support of the Alma Scavi programme of the University of Bologna and the Municipality of Castelleone di Suasa, the Project continues to paint an increasingly comprehensive picture of the evolution of the Cesano Valley, ensuring the protection and enhancement of a heritage that belongs entirely to its territory.