La Basilica Severiana di Leptis Magna: lo scavo, le indagini e i restauri degli italiani. Contributo alla storia delle ricerche e degli studi attraverso la documentazione d’epoca. Parte I: le ricerche di Romanelli e Bartoccini (1922-1928)

The Severan Basilica at Lepcis Magna – or Basilica Nova Severiana, as suggested by J. B. Ward-Perkins – is a well-known landmark monument in North Africa, mainly excavated and restored by the Italian Archaeological Service during the years of the Italian administration of Libya. As known, it was planned and built during the Severan period, as part of the ambitious both architectural and urban program which monumentalised the South-East area of the early Imperial city, by the Uadi Lebdah. Despite its undeniable importance, up to now this monument has never been published in detail as a whole; as a matter of fact, isolated and specific, yet significant aspects – e.g., its relevant architectural decoration, within the marble trade phenomenon of the period – have been so far analysed. The current paper aims to provide scholars with excavation data from the old documentation, i.e. excavation notes and old photographs, archived at the University of Macerata, Italy, focusing on the researches carried on by Pietro Romanelli and Renato Bartoccini since 1922 and up to 1928.