Across the hills of the Valdichiana Senese, within the lands of Montepulciano, the past is slowly resurfacing. In Acquaviva, archaeologists have indeed resumed excavations at the Fontegrande site, where an important Roman-era thermal complex is preserved. The area, spanning about 600 square meters, houses structures dating back to the early imperial age, which remained in use until their closure around the 5th century AD. The new investigative campaign, started at the beginning of July 2026, is already yielding discoveries capable of revealing a chapter of the region’s history that remains relatively little known.
The Discovery
Archaeologists have fully uncovered several structures already identified during campaigns conducted between 1991 and 1995, but the new investigations have allowed adding an unprecedented piece to the complex. Indeed, an additional room has emerged, likely identifiable as a “frigidarium“, i.e., the section of the baths intended for cold-water bathing.
The chamber features aapses, a solid cocciopesto floor, and a network of pipes that testify to the organization of the ancient installation. Previous campaigns had already yielded a large basin fashioned in opus caementicium and several heated rooms served by the hypocaust system. The floor, supported by small columns, allowed the hot air from the furnaces to circulate beneath the surfaces.
The system was also connected to a dual “calidarium“, the spaces designated for the hot baths, which may have been used separately by men and women. The scientific direction of the excavations is entrusted to Ada Salvi, a senior archaeologist with the Soprintendenza Archeologia, Belle Arti e Paesaggio for the provinces of Siena, Grosseto and Arezzo, while fieldwork is carried out by the archaeologists of the Montelupo Fiorentino-based Ichnos company.
The Importance of the Discovery
The finding at Fontegrande carries particular significance because it helps reconstruct the role Acquaviva played in antiquity. The site has been identified with the statio ad Novas mentioned on the Tabula Peutingeriana, along the route of the Cassia Adrianea, north of Chiusi. It was a strategic area already in Etruscan times, as demonstrated by the rich grave goods from the local necropolises, now partly housed in the Civic Museum of Montepulciano.
The enhancement of the site is part of the project “Le Vie dell’Acqua,” included in the cultural program of the Valdichiana Senese Capital of Tuscany Culture. The aim is to network archaeological sites related to the use of water in antiquity and to create a territorial route dedicated to the region’s thermal history.
A planned visiting route, equipped and sheltered, is also envisaged, designed to protect the ruins and adapt to potential new discoveries. Two modular structures could be expanded in the future, while an educational and informational setup will accompany visitors in exploring the complex.
The overall intervention, valued at 405 thousand euros, was financed with 328 thousand euros through the European funds PR FESR 2021-2027 of the Tuscany Region. Once the works are completed, Fontegrande could thus become part of a broader archaeological itinerary of the Valdichiana Senese, returning to the community a heritage that had remained hidden for centuries.
