The Roman Villa in Cottanello was just one of the many rustic villas that dotted the territory of the Sabine countryside: in particular, this belonged, from an administrative point of view, to the municipality of Forum Novum, today’s Vescovio. However, it is through Cottanello that a profound bond is kept alive, and today it is found in a hamlet in this Rieti municipality, precisely in Collesecco.
Who did the villa belong to in Cottanello?
The name Cottanello suggested, by assonance linked to the Aurelii Cottae, a branch of the gens Aurelia which tradition traced back to the Sabine king Numa Pompilius, the mythical ruler who, according to legend, planted the millennial olive tree in Canneto Sabino.
Archaeologists, comforted by this basic idea also thanks to the discovery of two rims of dolia – the dolio was a large container used for the storage of cereals and other agricultural products – bearing the words MCOTTAE, believe that the owner should be considered as being Marco Aurelio Cotta Massimo Messalino, consul in 20 AD and friend of the emperor Tiberius.
The mosaics of the Cottanello villa
The villa of Cottanello is of considerable importance for Sabina, particularly due to its precious mosaic floors. It is thought that originally all the floors of the villa were covered in mosaics. The mosaics that have lasted over time are of enormous value, not only as historical testimony but also from a purely artistic point of view.
The inlays, especially those made of polychrome stones, create beautiful and vibrant colour effects, and are made up of various types of tiles: the multi-colour effect is provided by the local stone, which gives the red and pink shades, and by the glass paste, with a chromatic range that veers towards light blue and green. As a result, flowers and plant figures are created, while black and white stones are dedicated to classic geometric motifs. Particularly beautiful is the depiction of two fowls. Not much documentation can be found of the initial restoration work, with the removal of some mosaics from the site, and this unfortunately does not facilitate the work of archaeologists.
The thermal baths of the villa of Cottanello
The Romans knew the benefits of hot springs, the healing properties of water and heat. It is not surprising, therefore, to discover that the villa in Cottanello was equipped with a calidarium, a swimming pool with hot water. What is surprising is the complexity of the thermal system conceived inside the villa: special pipes carried the heated water through an oven, and the steam circulated in a cavity placed under the floor, thus reaching the walls.
No doubt, such a structure could not simply be fed by a well, given the exceptional amount of water it required. Thus, the villa was served by an aqueduct! An aqueduct was found near the hamlet known as Colle della Fonte (source), and it is certainly no coincidence why it is called that name. It is precisely the aqueduct that brought water to the Aureli Cottae Villa.
We hope we have aroused your curiosity and made you include, among the list of your projects during your holiday in Sabina, a visit to the excavations. Worth browsing online, creating a thematic itinerary, to discover the Villa di Orazio a Licenza or Trebula Mutuesca in the municipality of Monteleone Sabino, both in the province of Rieti.
