Fianello
The church of Santa Maria Assunta lies near the castello of Fianello, it dates from the early Middle Ages and has undergone various phases of con-struction. The Romanesque crypt is of particular interest, containing reused material robbed from Roman buildings, including two capitals which re-adapt two inscriptions, as well as a small column of early medieval date commissioned by presbiter Florentinus and worked by magister Iohannes.

Tbe presence of a simple marbIe cathedra on the raised chancel is also interesting, and part of the walIpaintings which originally decorated the apse are stilI visible.

During the 1950s a series of archaeological excavations were carried out on the Roman villa beneath the Church. Today one can see some stretches of wall along the road leading to the cemetery and behind the apse of the church, whilst in the public fountain at the back, one can see part of a Roman aqueduct which must have brought water from a spring no more than half a kilometre from the villa.

The excavations uncovered some very interesting material which is now housed in the Museo Nazionale Romano, comprising numerous Iamps, smalI marbIe sculptures including the graceful statue of a dancer of
the Hellenistic period, a dancing maenad, a statue of Heracles, one of Silenus, an Attis-Heros, a female statue, a double herm of Demostbenes and a portrait ofAeschyIus.