The Fishpond of the Punta della Vipera

A t the 66 km of the via Aurelia, in the locality of Punta della Vipera it is recognisable by the great fishpond, in good condition of conservation, built on banks of hardstone above on the level of the sea: one of the most complete and interesting example of Roman fisheries visible along the whole Tirrehenian coast to the north of Rome. It conserves a notable rectangle bay, 48m. long, and 30m. wide, defended from the sea breakwater from the pier in cement work built by three4 5 about 3m. thick.

The establishment designated for the fish and shell fish farming, built maybe in the I century B.C., is articulated in different rectangle tanks distributed around a great central circular bay of over 20m.of diameter. The great structure is built in cement with decoration almost all in reticulate work to the excellent arches linking between the tanks and of the external wall of the central tank built on the coast. The internal depth of the tanks today in some points reaches 2m., but probably in the past must have been deeper.

They conserve other traces of the opening and of the plumbing that distributed the water in the farm and alimentation of the establishment, the constant purification of the water and the steady ambient temperature of the tanks. Towards the ground, among the coastal rocks, they part from the high angles oriented symmetrically two sacks of the fishpond, in which rests still many traces, maybe to use the wall.

The fishpond, a good coincidence with the type described by the ancient authors in particular by Columella, was controlled by a marine villa site in the immediate ground, in the area today unfortunately completely rebuilt. In the cellars of the private Galliano Villa (Via Aurelia n. 510 and 512) remains evidence of the thermal part with heated ambient on suspensureae linked at the praefurnium.

Different walls in mixed work and brick, traces of mosaic pavements, the discovery of Capitelli and marble documents the wealth and the extension of the villa, of certain links of the antic Via Aurelia and faced the nearby fishpond.