On 26 and 27 September, “Aquileia Splendida Civitas” returns, the historical re-enactment that brings the Roman city of the 4th and 5th centuries back to life. Military camps, gladiators, archers, ancient crafts, archaeological cuisine and virtual reality.

For an entire weekend, Aquileia will travel back in time to the final centuries of the Roman Empire. On 26 and 27 September, “Aquileia Splendida Civitas” returns, bringing military camps, soldiers, gladiators, artisans and historical re-enactors into the heart of the archaeological city and transforming some of Aquileia’s most evocative sites into an immersive setting devoted to the history and everyday life of Late Antiquity.

Now in its third edition, the event is organised by Fondazione Aquileia, in collaboration with the Municipality of Aquileia, the Basilica of Aquileia, SABAP for Friuli Venezia Giulia, Pro Loco Aquileia and the Legio VI Ferrata Association.

Over two days, from 10 am to 7 pm on Saturday, 26 September, and from 10 am to 4.30 pm on Sunday, 27 September, visitors will be able to meet historical re-enactment groups at the Roman camp in Piazza Patriarcato, watch demonstrations in the Ancient Markets – Fondo Pasqualis area, and take part in events in Piazza Capitolo and at the archaeological site of the Roman Domus of Fondo CAL.

The programme gets under way on Saturday morning with training and manoeuvres by the Late Roman army in Piazza Capitolo. From 10 to 11 am, visitors will see tactics, formations and combat techniques used by the Roman army in the 4th century, a period of profound military transformation. This will be followed by gladiatorial combat and ancient dances, with fighting techniques reconstructed from evidence found in mosaics and ancient manuals.

Throughout the day, the arena in Piazza Capitolo will repeatedly take centre stage, alternating combat displays with choreographies inspired by the Roman world. At the Ancient Markets, meanwhile, an archery range will be set up, where archers will demonstrate ancient shooting techniques. Visitors can also try their hand at the “Become an Archer for a Day!” experience, with no booking required.

Among the weekend’s most unusual attractions is “The Taste of History”, an archaeological cooking experience bringing the flavours and recipes of Late Antiquity to the table. Dishes are reconstructed using information from Apicius’s "De re coquinaria" and the medical and dietary writings of Oribasius, Anthimus and Aëtius of Amida. The tasting sessions, scheduled for Saturday at 11.45 am and 2.30 pm in Piazza Capitolo, are free, with limited places and advance booking required via Eventbrite. Also on Saturday, at 2 pm, the re-enactment groups will compete in the Ludi Aquileienses, a contest consisting of three disciplines – archery, plumbata throwing and javelin throwing – for the prize of the “Games of Aquileia”.

The re-enactment also embraces contemporary technology. On Saturday, at the Ancient Markets archaeological site, visitors can experience “A Glimpse into the Past: The Walls of Aquileia in Virtual Reality”, an immersive VR experience that allows them to explore the city’s Late Antique defences and follow their evolution between the 4th and 5th centuries AD, based on research conducted by the University of Verona.

Saturday’s programme will also recount the events that marked the final phase of Roman Aquileia. At 4 pm in Piazza Capitolo, “Prelude to the Siege of Aquileia: The Defeat of the Scourge of God in Gaul” will recreate the events surrounding the Battle of the Catalaunian Plains in AD 451 and the confrontation between the coalition led by the Roman general Flavius Aetius and the forces of Attila.

On Sunday afternoon at 3 pm, the story moves to AD 452 with “Aquileia and the Siege of Attila”: the city’s three months of resistance, the attack by the Huns and the destruction of Aquileia, an episode destined to become one of the most famous moments in its history.

Sunday morning will also feature the Ludus latrunculorum, an ancient Roman board game, as well as an experiential workshop combining ancient dance and poetic storytelling in the Roman Domus area of Fondo CAL, offering a sensory journey through historical research, dance and stories of everyday life in antiquity.

The programme will conclude on Sunday afternoon with further gladiatorial displays and ancient dances, bringing the atmosphere, gestures and rituals of the Roman world to life one last time.

Aquileia Splendida Civitas is part of a weekend in which the city offers visitors many different ways to engage with its heritage: from archaeological research and historical re-enactment to virtual reality, ancient crafts, food and games. It is a journey through time designed to tell not only the great events of history, but also the stories of the people, customs and everyday gestures that shaped life in Aquileia.

Full programme on Fondazione Aquileia and Discover Aquileia.