Archaeologists discover Roman settlement on the Palomba-Catenanuova route

Archaeologists working with the civil engineering company, Italferr, have unearthed a Roman settlement and necropolis in Sicily during the construction of the new Palermo-Catania-Messina railway link. 

A company under the Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane Group, Italferr, has been at the forefront of integrating archaeological expertise with modern engineering practices dating as far back as the 1990s; an effort to preserve cultural heritage. 

The ancient settlement is located on a hill overlooking the Dittaino River. It dates back from as early as the mid-1st to the 3rd century AD. Its strategic location was likely chosen as it enabled control over the Dittaino Valley and key communication routes.