Roman Ruins in Toscolano: History and Archaeological Discoveries

The first discoveries of Roman remains near the port of Toscolano date back to the 15th and 16th centuries. These findings were significant enough to inspire local poets to feed the legend of the fabulous city of “Benaco,” which was supposedly destroyed by an earthquake in 243 AD and subsequently submerged by the lake’s waters.

Around the mid-16th century, the scholar Silvan Cattaneo from Salò, describing a visit to the territory of present-day Toscolano with a group of friends, mentioned “some large slabs of very fine marble, many fragments of ancient statues and other similar objects in various places, all showing how much value and esteem this once rich and proud, but later unfortunate and unhappy city must have possessed” (from Le dodici giornate di ricreazione, written in the mid-16th century but published for the first time only in 1745).

This unhappy city, which “must have been very proud and remarkable,” was none other than the mythical “Benaco,” whose towers and buildings were allegedly still visible at the bottom of the lake according to another eminent Renaissance poet and humanist, Giuseppe Meio Voltolina.

Roman ruins Toscolano
Mosaics from the southern sector of the Roman villa in Toscolano

In reality, most of the artifacts found near the current parish church and along the lakeshore came from a large and luxurious villa built in the 1st century AD and expanded in the following century. At that time, it likely belonged to the Nonii family, one of the most important and influential families in Brescia, who held vast properties and economic interests around Lake Garda and the nearby hills and mountains. Based on an inscription found on site and now preserved in the Maffeian Lapidary Museum in Verona, it is reasonable to believe that the owner of the villa in this period was a prominent member of this family: Marcus Nonius Macrinus. His military and political career unfolded under the emperors Hadrian, Antoninus Pius, and Marcus Aurelius, of whom he was a close advisor.

We can imagine that this villa in Toscolano reflected the high social status of Marcus Nonius Macrinus, who served as the creative inspiration—albeit with the typical cinematic adaptations—for the protagonist of Ridley Scott’s film Gladiator.

Painted plaster Roman villa
Painted plaster elements preserved in the southern sector of the villa

The villa has been only partially excavated, but archaeological investigations have allowed researchers to reconstruct its general layout. The visual impact must have been remarkable, featuring a porticoed front opening toward the lake and two projecting lateral wings, following the model of maritime “villas of leisure” (villas of otium). The excavated area corresponds to the southern wing, which is open to visitors from Friday to Monday during the summer, showing well-preserved mosaics and painted plaster.

Given its size (at least 12,000 square meters), the building was comparable to the imperial and aristocratic residences of the Tyrrhenian coast.

In front of the villa, a monumental rectangular pool-fountain 47 meters long contributed to displaying the owners’ prestige, impressing visitors with its water reflections. The complex underwent major transformations in subsequent centuries, though it retained its architectural layout and possibly remained in the possession of the Nonii family, who later became known as the Nonii Arrii (from the family name of Arria, the wife of Marcus Nonius Macrinus).

The presence of such an influential family’s summer retreat in Toscolano points to the historical importance of the town, which is also documented by numerous inscriptions found there. Some of these are still visible today, built into the base of the parish church’s bell tower.

Roman inscriptions Toscolano
Dedicatorial Roman inscriptions built into the bell tower base

In particular, three inscriptions on the side facing the lake document acts of devotion to the imperial family. The upper section features an architrave in Luni marble, once part of a small temple dedicated to the “Lari Augusti,” protectors of the emperor’s family. The use of this highly prized material indicates significant wealth and a clear display of social prestige.

Below it are two bases that originally supported statues dedicated to two different emperors by the “Benacenses.” This term may have referred to local inhabitants belonging to the pagus of present-day Toscolano-Maderno, or to the entire western shore of the lake.

In either case, it is highly probable that the noble Nonii Arrii family played a significant role in organizing these expressions of imperial loyalty.

Carla Ghidinelli

Sources: E. Roffia, “La villa romana dei Nonii Arrii a Toscolano Maderno”, 2015; S. Don, “Il reimpiego di materiale lapideo di età romana sul Garda bresciano”, 2015-2018; S. Cattaneo, “Le dodici giornate di ricreazione”, Venice 1745.

Read more from GN Magazine – July 2026

Share this post:

Share on Telegram Share on LinkedIn Share on Reddit Share on WhatsApp

Latest