Stone walls made of large blocks from the ancient city of Urvinum Hortense along the edge of the archaeological site.
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Urvinum Hortense

An important archaeological heritage set in a landscape of great natural beauty

The archaeological site of the ancient Roman city of Urvinum Hortense, mentioned by Pliny the Elder in his Naturalis Historia, is located just a few hundred metres from the village of Collemancio (506 m) in the municipality of Cannara.

Urvinum Hortense was a small Roman municipium situated on a modest ridge (526 m a.s.l.) overlooking the Umbra Valley, on the north-eastern slopes of the Monti Martani range. As confirmed by systematic excavations and studies carried out by the University of Perugia, the ancient settlement was originally planned during the 2nd century BC. Incorporated in the Augustan Regio VI, it experienced significant urban development only between the late 1st century BC and the early 2nd century AD. In 47 BC, the site is believed to have been the birthplace of the poet Propertius, and historical sources also record that the consul Fabius Valens was imprisoned here during the war against Emperor Vespasian (69 AD).Although the city fell into decline in the 5th century due to barbarian invasions, the area appears to have remained inhabited throughout the early Middle Ages, as shown by the remains of the Early Christian basilica of Santa Maria de Orbinum (6th–9th century), built using reused materials from the ancient Roman town.

Remains of stone structures built with large blocks at the archaeological site of Urvinum Hortense, set in a natural landscape.

Urvinum Hortense

Archaeological area of Urvinum Hortense with stone wall remains overlooking the surrounding valley.

Urvinum Hortense

Remains of structures built with large stone blocks at the archaeological site of Urvinum Hortense, surrounded by vegetation.

Urvinum Hortense

Mosaic floor with Nilotic scenes from the site of Urvinum Hortense, now displayed in a museum.

Mosaic floor recovered during excavations

Historic stone building in Collemancio, home to the Antiquarium linked to the archaeological site of Urvinum Hortense.

Antiquarium in Collemancio

Visiting an ancient Roman city

The site preserves an extensive archaeological heritage – most of which is still undergoing musealisation – as well as valuable natural and environmental resources that remain largely unknown to the wider public. A visit to the archaeological area is complemented by the Antiquarium housed in the 14th-century Palazzo del Podestà in Collemancio and by the Museum of the City and Territory of Cannara, where artefacts from the excavation and the surrounding area illustrate the history of the Roman municipium from its origins to the modern era.

Archaeological excavations have uncovered a settlement enclosed by defensive walls, partly visible on the western edge of the plateau, with an urban layout structured along the road that connected Urvinum Hortense to Mevania (Bevagna) and Vettona (Bettona). Along this paved route, brought to light at the centre of the plateau, stood a temple whose rectangular podium (23.80 × 17.80 m) is still visible today. The building, dating to the 2nd century BC, was constructed using the Roman foot (29.64 cm) as the standard unit of measurement.

In the northern sector of the site, visitors can admire the imposing remains of a cistern and a large bath complex covering an area of over 400 square metres. From this area comes the remarkable polychrome mosaic floor with Nilotic scenes, removed at the time of discovery and now on display at the Museum of the City and Territory of Cannara.

Explore the surroundings
Main attractions in the vicinity