During the restoration work carried out by Rome’s City Council in the years 1978-82, in a group of houses centring around the 16th century Specchi Palace and near the church of San Paolo alla Regola, there came to light some still well-preserved structures belonging to buildings of the Ancient Roman and Medieval age. 

The Roman structures are four storeys high, two storeys being below today’s street level. These belonged to a warehousing complex, probably the Horrea Vespasiani, dating back to the reign of Emperor Domitian (81-96 AD), and linked to the river port and trading activities conducted on the Tiber. 

Two brickwork chambers and two rooms with mosaic paving are still visible. The warehouses were situated on roads alongside the Tiber and sloping down towards the river. 

In the reign of Septimius Severus (early 3rd century AD) there was a restructuring of the whole complex and new stores, large halls and homes were built that raised the structures up to four storeys high. 

In the 12th century, a tower-house was built on top of the Roman age structures and is still visible today behind the Specchi Palace.