HISTORY OF THE ROMAN CITY OF CESENA

Archaeological data concerning the town of Cesena in the Roman period are still scarce. Therefore its history and urban plan are still characterised by numerous lacunae. In the Tabula Peutingeriana as well as in more ancient itineraries such as the Gaditano (end of I-beginning of II cent. A.D.) and the Antoninian itinerary (end of III cent. A.D.) Cesena is named Curva. It is a clear topographic reference to its location and consequent urban development, forming a sort of “u” by the Garampo hill, the area where the route of the via Emilia probably deviated to follow the outline of the hill towards the bridge on the Savio river.

The origin of the town is strictly connected to the events that led the Romans to enter the Po Plain, which - at that time - was still occupied by various Celtic tribes, for the first time. These events culminated in the foundation of Rimini in 268 B.C., the triumph on the Umbrians Sassinates, the control of the Apennine district leading to the Tiberina valley and of some basic penetration axes such as the Savio valley. Once the Romans had obtained the total control of the area, land reclamation and division into parts of the area between the Rubicon and the Savio started, as well as the creation of the first road network connecting the various centres, some of which still exist.

The same happened to Cesena. Its most ancient settlement, which was occupied by people of Umbrian origins, was probably located on the Garampo. Before becoming a real urban centre, it was probably a collection point and a service-centre for the settlers. The construction of the via Emilia, in respect to which Cesena represented one of the basic joints, marked the beginning of a progressive urban development which never followed a regular scheme because of the morphology of the area, situated at the foot of the hills, and of the varying altimetrical outline of the slopes around the Garampo.

Some doubts on the route of the street realised by Emilio Lepido still remain. The most retained opinion affirms that it corresponded to the sinuous line created by the following streets: Via Valzania, C.so Comandini, C.so Garibaldi, P.zza del Popolo, V.le Mazzoni, Lugaresi. Some perplexities as well concern the surface occupied by the settlement, surrounded by two water-courses (one of which is represented by the Cesuola). The situation documented for the Republican age seems to change in the following period. In fact some remains dating to the Imperial age show that there was a change in the orientation of the urban plan and, therefore, of the streets outline.

The portion of wall of palazzo Ghini dated to the II-I cent. B.C. and the area of the ex-nunnery of the Suore di Carità can be attributed to the Republican and Late-Republican age. Archaeological excavations carried out inside the ex-nunnery have brought to light several remains among which a large warehouse connected to a residence paved with mosaics and opus spicatum and a small thermal plant dating back to the Augustan age.

The Imperial period is better known not only from an archaeological viewpoint but also thanks to epigraphic documents which report precise information concerning the public buildings. Some inscriptions mention actions concerning public construction activities such as the restoration of an important monument (a temple or something else) by emperor Adrian and the reopening and re-arrangement, wanted by either emperor Caro or emperor Probo, of the thermal baths of Aurelian age, probably corresponding to those identified in the ex-nunnery of the Suore di Carità.

In the Ostrogothic period, Cesena played an important role in the war between the Goths and the Byzantines, as a solid Goth fortress, thanks to its protected position on the Garampo, allowing the control on the Via Emilia; this choice involved the construction of defensive walls that probably deeply influenced the urban organisation of the town. The importance of the town had also been perceived by Odoacer in 490, when he was heavily defeated by Theodoric on the Adda river. He then turned to Ravenna and decided to reinforce Cesena and other cities that were located in strategic positions.

The fortifications located on the town hill, the pavements with black and white and polychrome mosaics found in Via Tiberti and the famous silver storied dishes discovered occasionally in the mid-XX century at the feet of the hill belong the Late ancient period. The latter consist of precious furnishings weighing more than 12 Kilograms and they probably belonged either to an important family of the local land-aristocracy or to a member of imperial court in Ravenna, residing in the area of Cesena.

a cura dell' IBC Emilia Romgna