The Ancient Sources
Testimonies of a recent past, to rediscover and to keep alive in the memory.
Every fountain has a own story and one of those is become the protagonist of legends that belong to the folklore
Climbing down the stone stairs from the mononym street we arrive in a place where the silence is interrupt only by the water noise. Surrounded by green mosses and small ferns, you will see the ancient Fonte Magna, a Roman nymphaeum dating from the first century B.C. called in this way because of its size and the most important source of the area. It’s told that Pompeo Magno’s horses had drunk there during a short stop in the city for recruiting soldiers to employ against Cesar during the civil wars.
This fountain results to be one of the rare ancient monuments of Le Marche mentioned in written testimonies like the De Bello Gothico of Procopio di Cesarea, where it’s described in details and underlined its strategical importance in the conquest of the city occupied by Ostrogoth of Vitige.
The fountain was semicircular and it is thought that at the beginning was protected by a vaulted decorated cover, to permit the access to the water in case of siege too.
Fonte Magna is not the only source in the territory. It counts 20 centenaries springs near the water that nowadays flow naturally from the hill. They were needed not only for hydric refueling for the citizen and suburban areas, but also as wash houses, because in many cases are still recognized the stone terraces for washing clothes or roofing for protecting washerwomen from sun and rain.
Every fountain has a own story and one of those is become the protagonist of legends that belong to the folklore, like the treasure Fonte or Fonte della Giana. In each case they represent a recent past, to rediscover and to keep alive in the memory.
