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Villa dei Quintili on the Appian Way: the residence Commodus took by force
At the fifth mile of the Via Appia Antica, Villa dei Quintili is the largest residential complex in the suburbs of Rome. It belonged to the brothers Sextus Quintilius Condianus and Sextus Quintilius Valerius Maximus, consuls in 151 AD — we know this for certain thanks to a lead pipe bearing their names, found in situ.
From the Quintili to the emperors
The two brothers came to a bad end. In 182/183 AD, the emperor Commodus had them killed on charges of conspiracy, and seized the villa for himself. From then on it became imperial property: Commodus himself lived there, and after him other emperors, who left their mark on the grandeur of the architecture and richness of the decorations.
What you can see today
The original entrance was on the Appian Way, through a hippodrome-shaped garden with a monumental nymphaeum. What today looks like a medieval tower is actually the exedra of the nymphaeum, reused in the Middle Ages as a fortification. Beyond the garden there is a climb up to the main part of the complex: courtyards, reception halls, a stately bath complex, floors and wall coverings in slabs of coloured marble that are still preserved. Recent excavations have brought to light a theatre, a circus for horse races and a surprising wine cellar with attached shop.
Practical info
The site is accessible from Via Appia Antica 251 and Via Appia Nuova 1092, Rome.
