The archaeological area and Antiquarium of Veleia is located within the municipium of Veleia, founded following the Roman conquest of the 2nd century BC in the heart of the territory of the Ligurian tribe of the Veleates, on the site of the pre-existing indigenous center. The city developed on a system of descending terraces. The forum was built on an artificial platform obtained through massive excavation. Paved during the time of Augustus by Lucio Licinio Prisco, an important local magistrate, it is surrounded on three sides by a portico with shops and public spaces opening onto it. An imposing entrance allowed access from the lowest terrace. On the opposite side, the complex was closed off by the basilica, where the twelve large marble statues from Luni, depicting the members of the Julio-Claudian family, stood, now at the National Archaeological Museum of Parma. Upstream are the remains of residential quarters and a thermal building. A cultural heritage of the region since 1760, when the Duke of Parma Don Filippo di Borbone initiated its exploration following the chance discovery (in 1747) of the bronze inscription of the Tabula Alimentaria Traianea, Veleia is now one of the most important archaeological centers in northern Italy. The recently rearranged Antiquarium houses artifacts that illustrate the most significant moments in the history of Veleia.