Summarize this content to 2000 words in 6 paragraphs in Arabic
Two Italian teenagers are reviving their town’s archaeological past by offering free guided tours for visitors.
ADVERTISEMENTThe Rome Colosseum, Verona’s impressive arena – everyone knows Italy’s beloved ancient Roman amphitheatres, synonymous with drama and pomp: gladiator conflicts, bloody spectacles and, still to this day, the backdrop to larger-than-life pop concerts and opera performances.Not all of them, however, get quite the same attention. Some lie forgotten or even repurposed in the most unusual of ways – including as sports grounds.In Monteleone Sabino – a small village of barely 1,000 inhabitants a stone’s throw from Rome – a recently discovered Roman amphitheatre is nestled away behind bushes and woodland and has turned into the backdrop of the local team’s football matches.Public money has been insufficient to bring the site to the public’s attention, and local interest appears relatively scant. But two young volunteers are trying to bring their village’s heritage to light – and hope that tourists will also make an effort to discover its hidden gem.Trebula Mutuesca: the forgotten ancient Roman townA mere 45 kilometres northeast of Rome and just a 70-minute drive away, Monteleone Sabino looks much like any nondescript, sleepy central Italian town – peppered with terracotta-hued brick bungalows and houses, all clustered around a medieval church and piazza, lined with unassuming cafes, post offices, and the obligatory ‘tabacchi’ (tobacconist). Among its most distinctive features is the sanctuary of Saint Victoria, a beautiful Romanesque church overlooking the region’s rolling hills, which closed after an earthquake in 2016 left it in a precarious condition.But like many other places in the ‘Bel Paese’ (beautiful country), Monteleone conceals a unique history – one its own residents were hardly privy to until the end of the last century.Once home to the Sabines – one of the local Italic tribes conquered by the Romans, which gave the village its name – Monteleone stands on what used to be a prosperous 4th-century BC settlement, Trebula Mutuesca. This ancient town boasted its own temple, baths, forum and amphitheatre. It even garnered mentions by ancient Rome’s leading literary giants, Virgil and Pliny the Elder.Despite the ancient town’s illustrious past and aristocratic population, it eventually fell into disrepair over the centuries, as it was overtaken by vegetation and eventually gave way to the current hilltop village, roughly 1.5 kilometres away from Trebula Mutuesca’s centre. While local awareness of an ancient Roman settlement persisted throughout the generations, Trebula Mutuesca fell into oblivion, becoming little more than a faint memory.It was a spell of particularly intense rainfall in the 1950s that ultimately revealed what had been hidden for millennia: the ruins of the amphitheatre complex. A team of archaeologists spent decades trying to uncover the artefacts and remains, taking almost half a century due to a series of delays and interruptions, and only seeing its completion in the 2000s.A historic Roman amphitheatre turned modern-day football pitch?While discovering an entire ancient Roman town may have been any small village’s claim to fame (and fortune), in a region oversaturated with historical artefacts, locals merely embedded the uncovered ruins into their village life – reflecting a broader Italian tendency to downplay or neglect the significance of its past.Indeed, prior to the arrival of Northern European archaeologists and historians in the 18th and 19th centuries, Rome’s very own ancient ruins were hardly the source of cultural appreciation: the Imperial Forum itself was a makeshift market, while stone from its buildings was used to build many of the city’s most iconic monuments.In Monteleone, the grassy site near the amphitheatre was quickly turned into a football pitch, used by the local team, ASD Real Monteleone Sabino, for matches with neighbouring towns. ADVERTISEMENTTucked away behind the village in a bucolic setting encroached by olive groves and overgrown vegetation, blink and you’ll miss the entrance to the ancient Roman site, which includes a vast open expanse dotted with walls and arches – once the amphitheatre and its stands – as well as the tunnels underneath the arena that once held ancient gladiator fights and shows.The Romanesque sanctuary of Saint Victoria, located near Monteleone Sabino’s amphitheatre, and closed since a 2016 earthquake.Visitors can also see some of the busts and other artefacts found at Trebula Mutuesca in Monteleone’s small archaeological museum, open Friday to Sunday from 10am to 6pm for €5 (€3 for young and senior individuals). There have been local efforts to preserve and promote the historical and archaeological significance of the site, including small concerts and exhibits.ADVERTISEMENTBut insufficient public funds, lukewarm local interest, as well as regional competitiveness – the so-called campanilismo or “church bell-ism”: the distinctly Italian phenomenon of rivalries between parishes – has resulted in Trebula Mutuesca remaining largely underappreciated.‘We want to share our heritage with future generations’For two young Monteleonesi, the ruins of Trebula Mutuesca are more than just a part of their local heritage – it’s a passion project and a driving force in their lives.Sara, 25, and Tommaso, 17, discovered their love for archaeology after becoming volunteers for an archaeological conservation project (G.A.T.C) four years ago.“Archaeological sites are important because, if preserved well, they can have a significant positive impact on the local economy through cultural tourism,” Sara tells Euronews Travel. ADVERTISEMENT“But more than that, they help us understand how people lived, their traditions, and their technologies. Without these treasures, we would lose so much of our history.”The two young conservationists have since channelled their enthusiasm locally and now hold the keys to Trebula Mutuesca’s site, giving small tours of the amphitheatre for free every weekend.“We are the guardians of a millennia-old history, proud to represent the greatness of our ancient city and the Roman legacy that defines our identity,” Tommaso adds.But Sara and Tommaso’s efforts have not been entirely rewarded: while they claim to have a positive rapport with the local council, they bemoan what they consider to be the region’s lack of willingness to raise awareness and publicise the archaeological site. ADVERTISEMENT“It would be helpful to create some tourist centres, but we understand that the regional financial situation is challenging,” Sara notes. “It takes a lot of time.”For the few visitors who have already made the journey to the ruins of Trebula Mutuesca, the apparent lack of care and resources in maintaining the ancient ruins has not been lost on them.“Poorly looked after and appreciated,” one Tripadvisor comment from August 2024 states. “[A]s often happens in Italy.”For the foreseeable future, it seems Monteleone Sabino’s ruins will remain off the beaten track, while its football pitch is not going anywhere any time soon.ADVERTISEMENTSome may see this all as a sign of Italy’s longstanding struggle to fully appreciate its artistic heritage. Or you could say that it shows how life can still be breathed into thousands of years of history – as a sign of continuity with the town’s past. Regardless, Sara and Tommaso remain steadfast in their fight to obtain greater recognition of their town’s nugget of ancient history.“Trebula’s light still shines in what we do,” Tommaso explains.“Being heirs of Trebula means carrying on a tradition that continues to inspire and shape us… it gives us our strength and an unbreakable bond with the ancient Roman roots that guide our future.”
