Claternae, Roman archaeological site in Ozzano dell'Emilia, Italy.
Claternae is a Roman archaeological site in Ozzano dell'Emilia, near Bologna, where residential buildings, public structures, and a visible stretch of the ancient Via Emilia road have been uncovered. The remains follow the typical grid layout of a Roman town, with streets and building plots still traceable on the ground.
The town was founded in the 2nd century BC along the Via Emilia, one of the main roads crossing northern Italy, and served as a trading stop for travelers and merchants. It was gradually abandoned by the 6th century AD, when its population moved to surrounding villages.
The on-site museum displays pottery, coins, and everyday objects found during the digs. These pieces give a sense of what ordinary life looked like in a small Roman town far from the capital.
The visit combines an outdoor walk through the excavated area and a stop at the small on-site museum, so comfortable shoes are a good idea. Guided tours are available and make it easier to follow what you are seeing on the ground.
Although Claternae lay buried under farmland for centuries, its street grid remained so intact that modern field paths in the area still follow the lines of the old Roman streets. Aerial photographs taken in the 20th century were the first to reveal the full shape of the town hidden beneath the crops.
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