Gabii
Description
Gabii was an ancient Latin city 18 km east of Rome on the Via Praenestina. Once a major rival of early Rome—and said in legend to have educated Romulus and Remus—it stood on the rim of an extinct volcanic lake, later drained in the 17th century.
Settlement began in the early Iron Age, with large cemeteries at Castiglione and Osteria dell’Osa showing a warrior aristocracy and pre-urban villages. By the 8th–7th centuries BC, Gabii had become a planned city with a regular street grid—unusual in Latium and likely inspired by Greek models.
In legend, Gabii was founded either by the Latin kings of Alba Longa or by Siculi. Under Tarquinius Superbus, it was famously betrayed by Sextus Tarquinius, leading to its submission. After the monarchy fell, Gabii became Rome’s ally, but by the late Republic it had declined, partly because of quarrying. It saw a small revival under the Empire, receiving new public buildings and baths, especially under Hadrian.
Archaeological remains include the sanctuary and temple of Juno Gabina, a forum rich in imperial statues, extensive baths with mosaics, and the medieval tower of Castiglione on the former acropolis. Since 2007, the Gabii Project has revealed the city’s early street plan, sanctuaries, elite burials, inscriptions, and, in 2025, a large rock-cut basin likely used as an early monumental fountain.