Roman Republic Age
It's a city with pre-existing urban traditions dating back to the Phoenician-Punic Age. During the Roman Republic period, the urban centre initially rose along the edges of the Santa Gilla marsh and was re-founded in the area of Piazza del Carmine (today's lower Stampace neighbourhood) where the judicial area and its important buildings were built including:
• a temple-theatre coherently planned and in line with a new city in the Roman era;
• a capitolium (temple dedicated to the Capitoline triad Jupiter, Juno and Minerva);
• what is thought to be a tabularium (public archives).
Imperial Age
The city received the title municipium iulium during Caesar's or Octavius' era and throughout the entire Imperial period was enlarged and enriched with buildings of monumental prestige, a few examples of which, along with numerous remains of architectural décor and mosaic floors, still remain today.
Urban planning and physical evidence
By analyzing the urban centre, different areas destined to have certain types of buildings can be identified.
The Bath Area was located between what is now via Sassari, via Angioy and largo Carlo Felice.
The residential area was presumably located north of the forum where today the remains of “Villa di Tigellio”, distinguished by a variety of rich decorations used in its rooms on numerous levels, can be visited. The complex, not yet entirely excavated, includes 2 domus and small baths.
Initial use of the area dates back to the I century A.D. and continues through the IV century A.D. when both wings were entirely used. In this area we find an aqueduct that was used, for the most part unmodified, up until the nineteenth-century. We also find a vast Amphitheatre, partially constructed and partially dug out of the limestone, that lies in the valley of Palabanda and has been dated back to the I century A.D.
Excavations in the Marina quarter have brought to light an entire district of the Imperial city, often re-used during Dark Ages, Middle Ages and Modern times.
La Fullonica
A building equipped with two small basins, a well and a cement bench is thought to be a fullonica (a room destined for textile dying) and was positioned on the east side of today's via XX Settembre.
The structure contains the remains of an important inscription at the foot of a bench set on the mosaic floor dating back to the Republican Age and reads: Marcus Ploti Silisonis F. Refus (Marco Plotio Rufu, son of Silisone). This inscription would seem to indicate the fullonica's owner's name. An epigraphic study of the inscription indicates that the name belongs to a community from the Italic Middle Ages.
This area has been reutilized on numerous occasions over the course of time and the addition of surface walls is hypothesized as being the addition of defensive walls.
The Ancient Harbour
Following the finding of large limestone blocks identified as the remains of harbour wharfs in what is known today as via Campidano, it is thought that one of Cagliari's antique harbours has been located. The location of part of the city's walls dating back to the Imperial Age in this site would at least confirm this theory's topographic reasoning.
