Helvia Recina archaeological area

The archaeological area

The Helvia Recina archaeological area is located in the territory of Villa Potenza, just outside the city of Macerata. It preserves the remains of the ancient Roman theater built around the middle of the 1st century AD, funerary monuments, marbles and epigraphs. The visitor will be able to immerse themselves in the history of one of the most important archaeological sites in the Marche, thanks to a new, innovative and accessible exhibition accessible from 2021.

New didactic panels with QRCode references and information equipment illustrate the history of the ancient Roman city of Ricina, and it is possible to take part in a virtual use of the site, under the banner of a unique immersive experience. Inside the reception point there is a 3D model reconstructed on the basis of the digital survey of the remaining structures of the Theater. From this survey, a Virtual Reality application was developed, with the use of the oculus tool, which allows the visitor a complete visual, physical and motor immersion inside the ancient building.

Accessibility

Particular attention is paid to accessibility. There are 3D PVA prints of the theater and funerary monuments, special visit cards in Braille are made available to non and visually impaired people who will therefore be able to benefit from the new set-up, also thanks to the preparation of a special video.

History of the area

Inhabited since ancient times, the city of Ricina became a Roman municipality towards the middle of the 1st century BC, extending mainly along the left bank of the Potenza river. The importance assumed by the town over the decades is to be attributed to its strategic position at the intersection of major road axes, which favored the connection of the coast with the centers of the internal Piceno up to the Tyrrhenian Sea.

Today, few but significant traces of the ancient settlement exist, all located near the monumental ruins of the Roman theater, dated between the end of the first century. to. C and the first half of the 1st century AD. C. An epigraph that mentions the emperor Septimius Severus as conditor testifies that in 205 AD, at the behest of the emperor, Ricina was raised to the rank of colony with the name of Helvia Ricina Pertinax in honor of her predecessor, P. Elvio Pertinace.

The city was enclosed by a rectangular wall; in the center the town was cut by a road. The forum was north of the intersection of the main road. There were a building with a cultic character, the amphitheater, commercial areas and homes. The necropolises were located at opposite ends of the city.

Timetables

Entrance is free
Always open by reservation, booking at least one day before the visit.
Tel. 0733 492937 or 3485400392
Closed on December 25, 2023, January 1, 2024, January 6, 2024

Address
via Teatro Romano – frazione Villa Potenza, Macerata (MC)

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