Pepper and spice warehouse was built during the reign of Emperor Domitian.

Rome's Horrea Piperataria, an ancient warehouse in the Roman Forum used to store pepper and spice in the imperial period, will open to the public for the first time on 21 December.

The opening of the storehouse, located beneath the Basilica of Maxentius, follows several years of excavations, studies and restoration work by the Colosseum archaeological park.

The Horrea Piperataria was built at the behest of Emperor Domitian, who ruled from 81-96 AD, to house precious "Egyptian and Arabian spices", as documented in the writings of Pliny and Cassius Dio.

The warehouse complex was constructed on the southwestern slopes of the Velia, the hilly ridge that once stood between the Palatine and Esquiline hills, but which no longer exists.

The redevelopment of the Velia, including after the fire of 64 AD and during the monumental building programmes by Maxentius in the early fourth century AD, led eventually to the oblivion of the Horrea Piperataria, until its discovery in 1915.

Rome’s ancient Horrea Piperataria - a warehouse for pepper and spices beneath the Basilica of Maxentius in the Roman Forum - opens to the public for the first time. pic.twitter.com/21S5eI9cUl

— Wanted in Rome (@wantedinrome) December 18, 2024

The Horrea Piperataria, which also housed medicinal herbs, was built along the Vicus ad Carinas, a paved road that connected the Roman Forum with the densely populated Esquilino area.

A stretch of the ancient road, leading towards the Temple of Peace and the present-day Via dei Fori Imperiali, will also open to visitors and will be freely accessible from the Roman Forum.

After entering through a small door, visitors to the newly-opened Horrea Piperataria walk along suspended glass pathways which offer views of the ancient structures below, while immersive multimedia projections on the walls and ceilings bring the site's layered history to life.

How to visit the Horrea Piperataria

From 21 December, the Horrea Piperataria will open for visits on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, with tours in Italian at 10.00, 11.45 and 13.15, and tours in English at 10.30, 12.15 and 13.45.

Guided tours, lasting 75 minutes, are mandatory and cost €8. For full information and tickets, see the official website.

The Horrea Piperataria is the latest extraordinary site in the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill to be opened to visitors by the Parco archeologico del Colosseo, following the recent opening of the Ninfeo della Pioggia, a Roman domus and the majestic Domus Tiberiana.

Photo Simona Murrone - Parco archeologico del Colosseo