Today the western part of Cagliari still conserves important ruins of an antique Roman settlement.
In an ample space that runs along via Tigellio in the historic neighbourhood of Stampace (see the church of St. Michael), you can admire the ruins of the "Villa di Tigellio", an exclusive Roman dwelling dating back to the Imperial Period.
Folk tradition claims that it belonged to Tigellio, a Latin poet for whom, according to the time's gossip, "people were prepared to spend two sesterce to hear him sing and three to have him be quiet".
In reality, it's a complex of dwellings (perhaps three) that must have been part of a single neighbourhood.  The most interesting ruins belong to two houses; the first called "Casa del Tablino" (house of the tablinum) because it conserves many fragments of frescoes that decorated the tablinum's walls (reception-room).  The second is called "Casa degli Stucchi"(house of stuccoes) due to it unique decorations that, at one time enhanced it.  It probably originally had an upper floor but today only the remains of two service areas remain. 
In front of the two houses are the ruins of the columns that characterised the atriums of Roman houses.
Although they are only ruins, "Villa di Tigellio" represents one of the few examples of private Roman construction preserved in the area of Cagliari.