In 2011, the Department of Studies of Central European Archaeology of the Austrian Archaeological
Institute started a new research project in the western part of the ancient town of Aquileia. The research project focuses on the diachronic development of the western part and the suburbium of the ancient town. The results of the first field campaigns in 2011 allow new conclusions regarding the urban development and the fortification system. Below the circus, constructed towards the end of the 3rd century, a suburban workshop quarter adjacent to a river or a canal could be recognized. In the south it was possible to identify
a structure which is similar to the warehouses of the river harbour in the east of the city at the Natisone.
Thus, in the Roman Imperial period, there must have been at least two harbour ports at Aquileia, namely
at the Canale Anfora in the west and at the Natisone in the east. Therefore, with the abandonment of
the workshop quarter and of the harbour at Canale Anfora in the late 3rd century A.D., and with the new
construction of the city wall which enclosed the circus, the entire area underwent a transformation in
function from suburban to urban area. Furthermore the results of the geophysical survey now allow us
to reconstruct the complete outline of the defensive wall and its towers in the area of the circus. From
2013–2016 the research project is funded by the Austria Science Fund (FWF-P25176-G19).