![]() Reminiscent of the exquisite townhouses uncovered in Pompeii, it was discovered in the late nineteenth century with similar features: intricate Hellenistic mosaic flooring, Julio-Claudian imperial statuary, and the remains of fine painted wall plaster that can be situated within the framework of accepted Pompeian styles (Caruana, 1882, p. The domus (once incorrectly labelled as the Roman Villa) has become an idealised example of the Roman presence in the Maltese Islands the partial remains of a lavishly decorated mansion that would have, in its time, been situated within the walls of the urbanised Roman city of Melite. Roman Domus Mdina, image courtesy of Davide Tanasi. Indeed, this has led to an incomplete interpretation of the site and the near impossibility for current archaeologists to challenge or confirm interpretations made almost 100 years ago. It can be argued that Zammit’s work in relation to the domus was poorly documented, with only the best artefacts kept for posterity and no record of stratigraphy. Indeed, scholars generally argue that the legacy Temi Zammit left to Maltese archaeology is best observed in his study and publication of Tarxien (Heritage Malta). However, there is far less in terms of publication and reports to attest for his work at the Roman Domus at Mdina. His excavations carried out at the prehistoric Tarxien Temple complex are well published and documented. A clear example can be observed in the study of the eminent Maltese archaeologist Sir Themistocles (Temi) Zammit. Although the importance of the site was immediately recognised on its discovery, the level of attention and documentation offered to the site was not of the same standard and consistency offered to other sites, such as the prehistoric temples on the islands. ![]() The remains of the Roman Domus in Mdina ( Figure 1) are a case in point. This is not to say that this period of Maltese history has not been high on the agenda of both local and foreign researchers. The Roman Maltese world had been buried under or re-purposed by successive periods of history. Despite this, the scholarship of the Roman period in Maltese history has waned in the shadow of the exploration of the prehistoric period whereby magnificent temple complexes can be more than just imagined. The islands’ strategic location both in terms of maritime trade and military staging has been exploited since the Phoenician period as their greatest asset, and although small they possess a visually breathtaking landscape that has provided a wealth of resources. Nestled quietly in the central Mediterranean, approximately 300 km from the coast of North Africa and 93 km south of the island of Sicily, the Maltese Islands are referred to by both locals and intrepid travellers as “the heart of the Mediterranean.” The significance of location has indeed allowed these islands to play an important role in the history of the region for millennia. The Melite Civitas Romana Project offers the potential of new understanding of the domus and the surrounding archaeological environment through a modern exploration of the site and the promise of the first available assemblage of Roman material from an urban Roman context. Most of the archaeological focus, in this respect, has centred on agricultural villas, and though this study has illuminated a better understanding of the Roman period, very little has been undertaken in the last century in piecing together the importance of urban Melite to the broader nature of life in the islands, as well as their place in the larger context of the central Roman Mediterranean. For a long time, the archaeology of Roman sites in Malta has suffered a distinct lack of priority, and it has only been in the last two decades that considerably more focus has been placed on understanding the Roman period. This site alone provides a unique perspective on Roman Malta, being our only substantial remnant from the Roman Maltese capital, and needs a refocused and renewed exploration. ![]() The site, last excavated more than 100 years ago, is also home to the only museum in the Maltese Islands, which is solely dedicated to house and showcase a collection of artefacts that date from the Roman period in Maltese history. The Roman Domus in Mdina, Malta, has become an idealised example of the Roman presence in the Maltese Islands the partial remains of a lavishly decorated domus that would have in its time been situated within the walls of the urbanised Roman city of Melite.
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