Largo di Torre Argentina historical timeline

A republican sanctuary that burned twice, was built over for a thousand years, and was uncovered by a demolition crew.

Chronology

1. Early 3rd century BCE — Temple C is built, the earliest of the four, on the original ground surface of earth and gravel. The Sovrintendenza records a proposed dedication to the goddess Feronia. Structural impact: sets the sanctuary's original floor level, below everything laid afterwards. What you see today: the lowest podium in the excavation, with later paving running above its starting level.
2. Mid-3rd century BCE — Temple A follows, proposed as a temple of Juturna, a deity of springs. Structural impact: the sanctuary becomes a group rather than a single building. What you see today: its podium at the eastern side, with a medieval church standing inside it.
3. Early 2nd century BCE — Temple D, proposed as the temple of the Lares Permarini. Structural impact: the largest of the four, and the one that fixes the sanctuary's southern edge. What you see today: a partly excavated podium that runs on under the modern street.
4. Late 2nd century BCE — Temple B, proposed as Fortuna huiusce diei. Structural impact: a round temple inserted among rectangular ones, breaking the group's geometry. What you see today: the circular podium and standing column shafts, the most recognisable thing in the square.
5. 111 BCE — a devastating fire. Structural impact: the first paving of tufa slabs is laid, probably afterwards, raising the ground around the standing temples. What you see today: the lower of the two historic floor levels.
6. 80 CE — a second fire, under Domitian. Structural impact: wholesale reconstruction — travertine paving and rebuilt porticoes. What you see today: the travertine surface the walkway runs beside, and the reason the temples sit at different relations to the ground.
7. From the 5th century — the area is transformed, with structures that may be monastic and, later, aristocratic housing. Structural impact: the sanctuary stops being a sanctuary and becomes building plots. What you see today: walls and foundations that are not Roman, left in place rather than cleared.
8. By the 12th century — a church of San Nicola stands inside Temple A. Structural impact: a temple podium is reused as a church footprint. What you see today: the Romanesque apse decoration, which survives.
9. 1926 — the remains are rediscovered during demolition work. Structural impact: a city block comes down and an archaeological area is cut out of the middle of a square. What you see today: the rectangular pit itself, and the Torre del Papito left standing at its corner.
10. 21 April 1929 — the archaeological area is officially inaugurated. Structural impact: the site is fenced and left as a viewing pit. What you see today: the street railings, which were the only way to see it for ninety years.
11. 20 June 2023 — the walkway opens. Structural impact: a raised route is built down into the excavation. What you see today: the way in — and the reason this is now a visit rather than a glance.

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