Ancient Town Aquileia-Forum

Aquileia was founded in 181 BC as a military colony by 3,000 veterans, after a Celtic advance had been repelled. The city quickly developed into a transport hub, especially as the terminus of the Amber Road and on the way to the mining province of Noricum. This fostered trade in amber and made Aquileia a center for glassmaking, iron smelting, and amphora production. Aquileia was the scene of important historical events, serving as a headquarters for emperors like Marcus Aurelius during the Marcomannic Wars and playing a role in the Crisis of the Third Century. In 452, the city was destroyed by Attila's Huns, initiating its decline. From the 4th century onwards, Aquileia experienced a new flourishing through Christianity, and its bishop attained a high position as patriarch, which, however, lost significance after the population fled to Grado and the later rise of Venice.

The ancient city of Aquileia-Forum is located in Aquileia, in the district of Trieste, in the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region of Italy. The site is situated at an elevation of approximately 9 m above sea level.