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geosciences Article Imaging Buried Archaeological Features through Ground Penetrating Radar: The Case of the Ancient Saepinum (Campobasso, Italy) Marilena Cozzolino * , Vincenzo Gentile, Claudia Giordano and Paolo Mauriello Department of Human, Social and Educational Science, University of Molise, Via De Sanctis, 86100 Campobasso, Italy; [email protected] (V.G.); [email protected] (C.G.); [email protected] (P.M.) * Correspondence: [email protected] Received: 25 May 2020; Accepted: 5 June 2020; Published: 9 June 2020 Abstract: The archaeological area of Saepinum is considered the symbol of the history of Roman civilization in Molise region (Italy). It was a Samnite commercial forum and service center, then it became a Roman municipium, and, later, it was transformed into a medieval and modern rural village. Although the archaeological excavations brought to light different important public buildings, such as the theater, the forum, the basilica, different temples, and the main streets, today, there is still much to discover and study inside the well-preserved city walls. For this purpose, a ground penetrating radar (GPR) survey was realized in the space between the theater and the decumanus, allowing imaging of a complex regular pattern of archaeological features belonging to thermal buildings still buried in the soil. Keywords: GPR; archaeological prospections; Saepinum; thermae 1. Introduction The archaeological area of Saepinum (41◦25056.9300 N, 14◦37003.4000 E) is a plain center located at the base of the Matese Mountain that faces the Tammaro valley, in Molise Region in the northern zone of southern Italy [1] (Figure1a). The Roman city was preceded by a fortified center from the Samnite era (about 4th century B.C.) called Terravecchia di Sepino, which was conquered in 293 B.C. [2] during the third Samnite war [3,4]. Following this event, the center was abandoned and the population settled downstream at the intersection of two road axes, one at the bottom of the valley (today the Pescasseroli-Candela “tratturo”, a transhumance route); the other, perpendicular to the latter, descends from the Matese and continues towards the hills of the Tammaro valley [5]. Consequently, the new center of Saepinum was built and the two road axes were incorporated in the city, becoming the decumanus (NW-SE main road) and the cardo (NNE-SSW main road) (Figure1b,c). The Roman city, which occupies an area of about 12 hectares, is delimited by city walls whose construction was realized in the period 2 B.C.–4 A.D. [6,7] (n. 2443). The circuit, which extends for a length of about 1270 m, was equipped with 19 circular towers (currently visible), arranged at a regular distance of about 25–30 m and four doors designed as triumphal arches, with a single vault. The doors were called Tammaro Gate (NNE side, in front of the Tammaro river’s plain), Bovianum Gate (NW side, towards the city of Bojano), Beneventum Gate (SSW side, in the direction of the city of Benevento), and Terravecchia Gate (SSW side, towards the Matese Mountain) [8] (Figure1b). Geosciences 2020, 10, 225; doi:10.3390/geosciences10060225 www.mdpi.com/journal/geosciences Geosciences 2020, 10, 225 2 of 14 Geosciences 2020, 10, x FOR PEER REVIEW 2 of 14 TM FigureFigure 1. 1.Location Location of of Sepino Sepino onon aa GoogleGoogle Earth™ satellite image image of of Italy Italy (a (a),), map map of of the the archaeological archaeological areaarea of of Saepinum Saepinum with with an an indication indication of of walls, walls, main main buildings, buildings, gates, gates, and and roads roads (b ()b and) and a picturea picture of of the decumanusthe decumanus flanked flanked by private by private houses inhouses a view in froma view Bovaianum from Bovaianum Gate in the Gate direction in the of direction Beneventum of GateBeneventum (c). Gate (c). ArchaeologicalArchaeological excavations excavations that began began in in the the 1950s 1950s ha haveve brought brought to light to light only only a small a small part of part the of theRoman Roman city. city. The The archaeological archaeological analysis analysis of the of excavated the excavated and elevated and elevated structures structures has highlighted has highlighted that thatthe the period period of greatest of greatest splendor splendor for Saepinum for Saepinum was the wasAugustan the Augustan age, when age, the city when took the on citysignificant took on significanturban grow urbanth due growth to the construction due to the of construction the most important of the mostbuildings important [9]. In detail, buildings the monumental [9]. In detail, structures actually found include (Figure 1b): The theater (1 in Figure 1b, Figure 2a) and the the monumental structures actually found include (Figure1b): The theater (1 in Figure1b, Figure2a) gymnasium-porticus complex (2 and 3 in Figure 1b) located in the northern sector of the city dated and the gymnasium-porticus complex (2 and 3 in Figure1b) located in the northern sector of the city to the first half of the 1st century A.D.; the basilica located near the forensic area, built in the 1st dated to the first half of the 1st century A.D.; the basilica located near the forensic area, built in the 1st century B.C. (8 in Figure 1b, Figure 2b); the macellum [10–12], the building used as a market, dated century B.C. (8 in Figure1b, Figure2b); the macellum [ 10–12], the building used as a market, dated to to the 1st century. A.D. [7, n. 2475] (8 in Figure 1b); the cult buildings belonging to the 1st century the 1st century. A.D. [7] (n. 2475) (8 in Figure1b); the cult buildings belonging to the 1st century A.D. A.D. and located on the decumanus, next to the macellum (7 in Figure 1b); the forum of the Augustan andage located located on at the the decumanus, crossroads between next to thethe macellum cardo and (7 the in Figuredecumanus1b); the (9 forumin Figure of the1b); Augustan the thermal age locatedcomplex at theattached crossroads to the between walls near the Bovianum cardo and Gate the decumanusdating back (9to in2nd Figure century1b); A.D. the thermal(4 in Figure complex 1b, attachedFigure 2e); to the and walls the production near Bovianum buildings Gate and dating the housing back to 2nddistrict century located A.D. along (4 in the Figure decumanus1b, Figure in the2e); andstretch the productionbetween the buildings forum and and Ben theeventum housing Gate district used since located the alongAugustan the decumanusage until the in5th the century stretch betweenA.D. (5 thein Figure forum 1b, andc and Beneventum Figure 2c). Gate used since the Augustan age until the 5th century A.D. (5 in Figure1Outsideb,c and the Figure wall2c). circuit there are two necropolises, one near Bovianum Gate dated to the 1st centuryOutside A.D. the and wall the circuitother of there the Augustan are two necropolises,age located outside one near Bene Bovianumventum Gate Gate [13] dated (10 in to Figure the 1st century1b). Near A.D. the and latter the necropolis, other of the archaeological Augustan age excavations located outside brought Beneventum to light the Gate remains [13] (10 of a in medieval Figure1b). Nearsettlement the latter dated necropolis, to the 14th archaeological century. excavations brought to light the remains of a medieval settlementIn the dated 5th toand the 6th 14th centuries century. A.D., the city was the diocesan office [14] but immediately lost importanceIn the 5th due and to 6ththe growing centuries influence A.D., the of citythe near was city the diocesanof Bojano, oinffi thece [9th14] century. but immediately Most of the lost importancepopulation due of Saepinum to the growing moved influence to a hill called of the Castellum near city Sepini of Bojano, [15], inwhich the 9thlater century. took the Most name of of the populationthe actual ofSepino. Saepinum The name moved of to Sepino a hill calledappears Castellum in documents Sepini starting [15], which from laterthe 12th took century, the name but of in the actualthat period, Sepino. the The city name lost ofits Sepinogreatness appears and it was in documents reduced to startinga small village. from the 12th century, but in that period,The the interest city lost in its the greatness archaeological and it was history reduced of Saepinum, to a small village.as happened throughout the Molise territory,The interest began in the mid archaeological-1800s. As evidenced history of by Saepinum, the rich current as happened literature, throughout many studies the Molisewere territory,carried beganout up in to the now mid-1800s. [8,16–26]. As However, evidenced archaeological by the rich current excavations literature, concerned many studies only 10% were of carried the areas inside the walls. Geosciences 2020, 10, 225 3 of 14 out up to now [8,16–26]. However, archaeological excavations concerned only 10% of the areas inside theGeosciences walls. 2020, 10, x FOR PEER REVIEW 3 of 14 The real need to increase the knowledge of the site, the impossibility of planning extensive excavationsThe real due need to the to large increase financial the knowledge resources of required, the site, and the theimpossibility subsequent of managementplanning extensive for the conservationexcavations of due the to excavated the large structuresfinancial resources have led required, to planning and preventivethe subsequent non-invasive management geophysical for the prospectionsconservation in of order the excavated to provide, structures in a fast have way led on to vast planning areas, preventive an image non of archaeological-invasive geophysical features stillprospections buried in the in order soil. Into provide, this frame, in a difastfferent way on methods, vast areas, such an image as electrical of archaeological resistivity features tomography, still theburied magnetic in the method, soil. In the this induced frame, electromagneticdifferent methods, technique, such as electrical and ground resistivity penetrating tomography, radar (GPR), the magnetic method, the induced electromagnetic technique, and ground penetrating radar (GPR), are are often employed with successful results [27–48].

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