Description: The Roman amplitheater built into the Tuscan hill still seats over 2,000 spectators for different musical events during the summer. Built in the first century B.C., ontop of an earlier Etruscan holy site, the view is panoramic looking over the sculpted and rolling landscape. The baths to the right of the theater were built at the same time and featured both cold and warm pools...one of which has an unusual sloping floor...and an early sauna. The partially intact Etruscan temple located to the far left was built in the 4th century B.C. to the goddess Minerva who was said to have great healing powers. Many little ex-votos ( characters of men and women carved out of marble,brass,copper and wood.) were left here as offerings for better health. The collection of Etruscan, Roman, and Lombard items found here and nearby are located at the museum in the compound at the top of the hill. The majority of signage in the museum is in Italian, so you may want to carry along a guidebook for explanations. 3 more important displays have English listed below. One of them is from a Lombard (about 7th century A.D.) grave that goes into great detail about the man and the hardships he lived through which can be identified from thickening of bones, old fractures that had healed, and wear of the teeth. Buried with him was a beautiful blue glass goblet that indicates that someone loved him to leave such a precious item in a grave! The museum has items from 8 B.C. to 7 A.D.
The museum hours for summer are 9:30-7p.m. every day
Winter hours are 9:30-5p.m. and they are closed on Tuesday.
Tickets to enter are: 12,000 L ( about $6.00us)
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