Almost 30 years after the last archaeological campaign, the archaeological excavation of Brescia’s Roman theater will officially begin on Monday, October 27, 2025, after months of preliminary investigations and preparatory activities. The area will once again be investigated with the aim of expanding the knowledge of the monument, encouraging its more effective conservation and enhancement. In continuity with the recovery and restoration work on the lower sector of the cavea, carried out by the Superintendence in 2023, the excavation will cover the entire eastern sector of the theater, one of the largest and most significant performance buildings in northern Italy from the Roman era.
The start of the new research falls at a particularly symbolic time: the bicentennial of the discovery of the Winged Victory and the start of Brescian archaeology.
On the other hand, the entire western sector of the theater will remain uninvestigated, while the current layout of the site with the crossing bridge will be maintained, a solution that will make it possible to guarantee future extraordinary maintenance operations and to start the interventions for the redevelopment of the paths and the re-functionalization of the Palazzo Maggi Gambara complex, promoted by the Municipality of Brescia.
The excavation project is being promoted and directed by the Soprintendenza Archeologia, Belle Arti e Paesaggio for the provinces of Bergamo and Brescia and is part of a broader plan for the theater’s rehabilitation and extraordinary maintenance, financed by the Ministry of Culture with a €1.5 million grant, announced in February 2024. The total cost of the excavations amounts to 354,971.06 euros, plus VAT and safety charges.
The activities will take place under the scientific direction of archaeologist Serena Solano (ABAP Superintendency) and will be carried out by the archaeological company AR/S Archeosistemi of Reggio Emilia, in collaboration with the excavation company Belleri Silverio & C. of Zone. The work will last about seven months, after which the restoration of the archaeological structures will follow, again under the supervision of the Superintendency.
To allow the operations to be carried out safely, the area’s visitor routes will remain temporarily closed to the public. However, guided tours of the excavation site will be organized in a path of rediscovery and enhancement of one of the landmarks of the city’s ancient history.
Image: Roman theater - Archaeological Park of Roman Brescia ©Archivio Fotografico Musei Civici di Brescia
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| Excavation work begins in the eastern sector of Brescia's Roman theater, after months of preliminary investigation |
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