La Citta’ Ritrovata. Archeologia Urbana A Genova. Review of the Show at the Germanico Archeological Institute in Rome (Resumé)

The exhibition “La città ritrovata.Archeologia urbana a Genova” took place in June at the Germanico Archeological Institute in Rome under the supervision of the Ministero dei Beni Culturali ed Ambientali and the Superintendence of Liguria; it showed the results of a ten years excavation in the historical center of the city and in the harbour. During the roman period Genova is a powerful city and its harbour is an important link of communications and a place where arrives every kind of goods coming from the central Europe. In the fifth century the city loses its importance, becomes smaller and poorer; ancient material is re-employed in the construction of new, few buildings. Later in the sixth century, after the raid of the frank King Teodobertus (539), the central nucleus of the city is diveded in two areas, one beside the Church of S.Lorenzo, the other beside the one of S.Ambrogio. In the ninth century we can see the most important buildings placed just at the intersection of the ancient principal roman axes, cardo and decumanus , today via delle Grazie and via Canneto: many churches are situated at the foot of the hill of Castello, as the Church of S.Pietro in Banchi, S.Giorgio, SS.Cosma and Damiano, SS.Nazario and Celso and S.Maria di Castello. In the tenth century with the monumental programme of enlargement required by bishop Teodolfus Genua becomes Ianua, the new name of the city as it appears in the medieval documents.

Stefania Stevanato

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