Villa Magna

Villa Magna is a large imperial Roman villa near modern Anagni in Lazio, about 65 km south of Rome at the foot of the Monti Lepini. Excavated between 2006 and 2010, it preserves the name “Villamagna,” reflecting its long occupation as both a monastery and rural settlement.

The villa was built over a Republican villa rustica, possibly owned by Pompey the Great before becoming imperial property. Expanded under Antoninus Pius (r. 138–161), it featured an elaborate ceremonial winery described in letters by Marcus Aurelius (140–145 AD), where emperors hosted festivals celebrating the grape harvest. The villa’s road was paved under Septimius Severus in 207 AD and later abandoned.

Marcus Aurelius’ letters vividly describe his stay there—hunting, reading, assisting in sacrifices, and joining the joyful vintage celebrations with his adoptive father.

By the 10th century, the site became a Benedictine monastery, later involved in regional politics until its suppression by Pope Boniface VIII in 1297. The village that followed survived into the 15th century, and the church and walls remain.

Excavations revealed cisterns, baths, substructures, and a grand winery with marble-paved dining areas, mosaics, frescoes, and baths. Nearby buildings housed seasonal workers, and aerial evidence suggests a nymphaeum and possibly an amphitheatre or vivarium.

Address
Anagni, Italy

Established
2nd century AD