Faragola Roman villa, Archaeological site of Roman villa in Ascoli Satriano, Italy
The Faragola Roman villa is an excavated ancient residence near Ascoli Satriano in the province of Foggia, Apulia, featuring thermal baths, dining rooms, and living quarters built across several construction phases. The exposed walls, floors, and heating channels allow a direct look at the layout of a large rural Roman estate.
Before the Romans arrived, the area was occupied by the Daunians, an Italic people who had lived in this part of Apulia since the Iron Age. The Romans built a large estate on that earlier settlement, which was then expanded and changed over several centuries before being abandoned in late antiquity.
The dining rooms show how Roman meals were social events, with floors decorated to impress guests and spaces arranged to separate public areas from private ones. These rooms were not just for eating but for receiving visitors and displaying wealth.
The site is located outside the center of Ascoli Satriano, surrounded by farmland, and is best reached by car. Sturdy footwear is advisable since the ground is uneven, with many exposed foundations and stone structures across the excavation area.
The underfloor heating system of the thermal rooms, known as a hypocaust, is preserved well enough at this site that the hollow spaces beneath the floors where hot air circulated are still clearly visible. This same system also heated the walls of the rooms, not just the water.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
