Spazi urbani, infrastrutture e cultura materiale nella Catania romana. Primi dati dalla rilettura del complesso delle c.d. terme “Achilliane”

Catania preserves a rich heritage related to the Roman period, in which the baths facilities, both public and private, have a prominent place, for the quantity and quality of their remains. The “Achellian” baths (this is the name gived to the ancient complex, built between the I and II century AD, from an epigraphic text that remember a restoration occurred in 434 AD) constitutes one of the most important example among the roman public baths built in the city. The bath has occupied, for different reasons, a prominent place, constituting a point of reference in urban topography up to the modern age. However, despite the importance, our knowledge of the monument is limited. This derives from the fragmentary nature of the remains, that have come down to us and that lie under the current Piazza del Duomo, and from a history of the research, that has never benefited from large excavations and from an overall re-examination of all the available data. The multidisciplinary researchs that a research team from Unict-Disum and CNR-ISPC are carrying out in this extraordinary context, have the aim of achieving a better knowledge of the monument, useful also for a better protection and enhancement.