What is the history of Roselle?

Roselle is an ancient Etruscan city, urbanized from the first half of the 7th century BC, then conquered by Rome in 294 av. J.-C. Its location, on two hills overlooking the ancient lagoon of Prile and the plain of Grosseto, allowed it to monitor the passage routes between the coast and the interior. In the 6ᵗʰ century BC, the Etruscans built a wall of more than 3 kilometers, long sections of which are still visible. The city extended over both heights, with residential districts and artisanal areas.

Under the Romans, Roselle was transformed: notably a forum, thermal baths and an amphitheater were built there, constructed at the beginning of the Empire. The city retained importance in the medieval period, but its inhabitants gradually left for Grosseto; Roselle was practically abandoned in the XIIᵉ siècle. Today, the archaeological park allows one to read these different stages in the remains, rather than to discover an intact Roman city: several buildings are known only through their foundations. The site is located about 10 kilometers north of Grosseto and the tour route takes around 2 kilomètres, on sloping ground between the two hills.