Rome's Newest Archaeological Site: Horrea Piperataria

Video from Darius Arya Digs

Rome's Newest Archaeological Site: Horrea Piperataria

"Step inside one of Rome’s newest archaeological sites to open to the public — the Horrea Piperataria, the ancient spice warehouses of the Eternal City. Join Darius as he explores this underground complex near the Forum, once packed with pepper, incense, and other luxury imports from across the empire." from the video introduction

The Horrea Piperataria: Rome’s lost spice warehouses rediscovered

ome never stops surprising us, and just when you may think there is nothing more to be discovered … well, something is discovered! The Horrea Piperataria, once a center for the storage and trade of exotic spices, have recently emerged from centuries of obscurity, opening to the public over a century after having been discovered, and almost 2000 years after they were last used. These spice warehouses were built under Emperor Domitian in AD 94, and their rediscovery and restoration offer a unique glimpse into the economic, medical, and culinary significance of spices in the Roman Empire, as well as the logistics that supported Rome’s insatiable demand for luxury goods.

What were the horrea?

The word horrea (singular: horreum) referred to storage buildings used throughout the Roman Empire. While originally associated with grain storage, by the Imperial period, the term had expanded to include warehouses for oil, wine, textiles, marble, and even art and documents. Horrea were crucial to Rome’s economy, because they ensured the city could feed its vast population and store valuable trade goods from across its dominions.

By the height of the empire, Rome had nearly 300 horrea, ranging from small, specialized storage sites to massive complexes. Among the most famous were the Horrea Galbae, which stored grain and oil, covering over 21,000 square meters with 140 rooms on the ground floor alone. Such facilities ensured a steady food supply for the city’s million residents and showed Rome’s highly organized distribution system.

The Horrea Piperataria, however, were different because, unlike these general-purpose storage centers, they were especially dedicated to spices and medicinal herbs. For this reason, they were among the most valuable repositories in Rome, controlling the supply of pepper, cinnamon, cardamom, incense, and rare herbs imported from India, Arabia, and Egypt. The Horrea Piperitaria were built in a very strategic position, on the southwestern slopes of the Velia hill, between the Palatine and Esquiline hills. They were along the Via Sacra, one of the most important roads in Rome, which connected the Forum Romanum to the Colosseum: a prime position, which ensured efficient transport and distribution of goods..." from the article: The Horrea Piperataria: Rome’s lost spice warehouses rediscovered

#extraordinarygod