Ager Vaticanus

Ager Vaticanus is an archaeological site on an alluvial plain on the right bank of the Tiber between the Janiculum and Monte Mario in Rome. The ground is marked by remains of tombs, roads, and settlement layers that document its development over many centuries.

This land was an important boundary between Rome and the Etruscan city of Veii in ancient times, until its conquest in 396 BC. After its incorporation, the area gradually transformed from marshy ground into a burial ground and later a religious center.

This ground served as a burial place for wealthy Romans, whose tombs and sarcophagi remain visible today. The necropolises show how families honored and laid to rest their dead in this zone outside the city.

Access to this ground typically comes through organized tours or museum visits that display artifacts from the site. It is wise to wear comfortable shoes and prepare for uneven terrain with archaeological remains.

Two ancient roads ran through this area: the Via Triumphalis was used for military processions, while the Via Cornelia linked the central city with this zone. These connections reveal how important this ground was to Rome's infrastructure.