Lex Spoletina

Though profoundly influenced both by the topographical characteristics of Colle Sant'Elia, the hill on whose slopes the city now stands, and the obviously mediaeval character of its later development, the urban planning of Spoleto (the ancient Spoletium), can still be traced back to the previous Roman grid-like matrix. This developed around the internal branching of the via Flaminia and is particularly legible and regular in the high part of the city. This was where the pomoerium or sacred area inside and outside the city walls was marked out. The pomoerium went from the Arch of Monterone whereas the cardo (north-south) included what is now via dell'Arco di Druso, piazza del Mercato (the ancient Roman forum) and via dei Duchi. The decuman included what is now via del Municipio, via del Mercato and via Plinio il Giovane. The Cardo irregularly carried on in via Fontesecca, via Minervio, via Salara Vecchia and via Porta Fuga. In a herring-bone fashion, other streets coming from horizontal terraces cut out into the hill joined up with this Roman cardo. There are many important reminders of this Roman past, even though the same are not always accessible.