From 1978 and 1982, the Comune di Roma restored a number of its buildings between via del Conservatorio and the church of SS. Trinità dei Pellegrini. This opera brought to light structures of the Roman era, preserved for four floors in height - two under the ground and two above, restored and raised almost to the state that they were in during Medieval times.
The archeological complex of S.Paolo alla Regola, excavated, restored and which may be now visited, is located on the first and second levels under the ground of the fifteenth Century Palazzo degli Specchi, occupied by the Municipal Library for children and on the upper floors as private houses.
The archeological complex is close to via S. Paolo della Regola, a street following the antique road that connected the Circo Flaminio to the Campo Marzio area from the time of Republican era.
The southern part of Campo Marzio was urbanised because of the intense building activity of Augustus: in particular the area near the S. Paolo buildings, the construction of the Sisto Bridge by Agrippa, his son-in-law; a network of streets parallel to the Tiber was also constructed and where there is the present via delle Zoccolette and via di S.Paolo alla Regola and at right angles via del Conservatorio and via dei Pettinari connecting the Sisto Bridge to the centre of Campo Marzio.
During the Domiziano era, the area was occupied by the Horrea Vespasiani (granaries) a vast complex of shops that lay parallel to the river between via dei Pettinari and via Arenula.
In the Severiana era, great changes came about. Houses and buildings were built near and over the shops, which were at least four stories high and later destroyed by a violent fire.
During Constantine’s era after restructure, a floor was interred to protect the building from the Tiber floods and the walls were well fortified. Later, following their occupation, the building were deserted and fell into ruin and the street level reached the present level when it collapsed and river left deposits.
In the XI and XII Centuries, following new, intense building activities, the Roman ruins were fortified up to the foundations and raised.
A tower-shaped brick house with a raised section made of tuff, crossing an old alley separates two blocks of Dominitian buildings. Between the XII and XIII Centuries, the entire area was occupied by buildings close to each other having a narrow, long form, occupying all the available space and reaching 4 to 5 stories. They were raised again later in the XIV Century.
The archeological area of S.Paolo alla Regola has two large Dominitian shops built in brick and covered with large barrel vaults facing the Roman lane, parallel to the Tiber. They were located at the second level below the ground situated at 8 m. below the present street level.
There were two entrances to this arch, later closed during the Medieval era by a wall made alternately of bricks and tuff. The intermediate level was called ‘of the column’ because there was a loggia with an intermediate lowered arch supported by a column. It was originally a yard paved with calcareous stones on which the Dominitian shops faced and was then recovered during the Severiana era to house two shops. Lastly, it was fully restored in Constantine’s era by interring the ground floor of the building and fortifying the walls until they reached three times their thickness.
The first level below the ground comprises a series of shops of the Severiana era arranged around a yard. Apart from the Constantine’s restructure, a strong modern wall to fortify the 16th Century vaults appears, over which the Palazzo degli Specchi was built.
The other two rooms, paved with mosaics, formed the first floor of the building. The ground floor was occupied by Dominitian shops. The black and white mosaics belong to the Severiana era.
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 | | | I Municipio
Rione VII - Regola
Regio IX - Circus Flaminius
Via San Paolo alla Regola, 16
HOURS:
thursday and friday hours 9p.m.- 11p.m. |  |
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