Roman fishponds: the aquariums of the Maritime Villas in the coast north of Rome

"The Thursdays of Archaeology," the series of cultural meetings on antiquity and the territory organized by the National Archaeological Museum of Civitavecchia, a cultural institute afferent to the Regional Directorate of National Museums of Lazio (Ministry of Culture), in collaboration with the Municipality of Civitavecchia, at the Cialdi Library (Piazza Calamatta, 18, Civitavecchia), gives you the last appointment of the fourth edition onApril 03 at 5:30 with the conference Peschiere romane: gli acquari delle Ville marittime nel litorale a nord di Roma with Massimo Sonno.

Massimo Sonno, a professional diver for many years engaged in archaeological research and the protection of underwater cultural heritage, will illustrate the characteristics of Roman fishponds, sophisticated and extremely expensive aquariums that have survived almost intact to the present day.

Fishponds represent a distinctive element of the luxurious maritime villas that, starting from the time of the Romanization of the Etruscan territory, sprang up along the coast between Civitavecchia and Santa Marinella. Located directly on the shore, the fishponds were divided into several multicolored tanks, each intended for the breeding of specific varieties of fish. The seawater needed to maintain the fish species was taken directly from the seabed in front of the villa, ensuring a constant turnover and the perfect balance of the aquatic ecosystem.

Massimo Sonno's talk will provide insight into the workings of these extraordinary structures and an understanding of the role they played, not only in daily life and aristocratic luxury, but also in the management of marine resources by the Romans.