Archeologia, ideologia e propaganda a Piacenza e Veleia durante il ventennio fascista

Classical studies were strongly incentivised during the Fascist dictatorship, due to the ideological connection between ancient Roman Empire and the one led by Mussolini as prime minister. Thus, the main topic of the fascist Romanità came under the spotlight in several branches of knowledge; in Archaeology, roman studies, excavations and monuments received a greater attention than ever. The paper takes into account case study of Piacenza and of the Roman settlement of Veleia. In conjunction with the bi-millennial of Augustus' birth, an exhibition of some findings of the Roman periods of the city and of the close archaeological site of Veleia was organized in Piacenza. Moreover, at the end of the exhibition, a great monument with the Lupa Capitolina was inaugurated, taking fascist Rome and its urbanistic transformations as examples. After the exhibition, thanks to the warm reception from both the population and the fascist party, a new excavation campaign in Veleia was planned. The operations started in 1941 and went on until 1943, when they stopped because of different factors, such as the decreasing availability of money, the political uncertain situation in Northern Italy, the war that was troubling also that particular region and the first guerrilla tactics enacted by the local partisans. The excavations focussed on the southern area of the site of Veleia, in a so-called 'Amphitheatre' that had a long history of excavations and restorations: the major part of the building was re-excavated and its foundations were brought to light. The work had a troubled advancement, due to the political and socio-economic situation, and did not come to a conclusion. The paper analyses those events thanks to the archival documentation.