Archaeologists working in the heart of Mallorca believe they may finally be closing in on one of Roman Spain’s most elusive urban centers. New discoveries at the long-studied site of Son Fornés are now pointing toward the possible location of Tucis or Guium—two Roman cities recorded by ancient sources but never conclusively identified.
The breakthrough comes from excavations led by researchers from the Autonomous University of Barcelona at Son Fornés, near the modern town of Montuïri. What was once thought to be primarily a prehistoric settlement has revealed unmistakable signs of a planned Roman city, suggesting that Mallorca’s Roman urban landscape was more complex than previously understood.
A Roman City Hidden in Plain Sight
The research team, part of the Arqueología Social Mediterránea group, has worked at Son Fornés for nearly two decades. Yet it was the most recent excavation season that transformed the site’s historical significance. Archaeologists uncovered large architectural remains organized according to Roman urban principles—clear evidence of an officially established city rather than a rural outpost or villa complex.
The excavated area already spans roughly 5,000 square meters, comparable in size to Palma’s Es Baluard Museum. According to archaeologist Beatriu Palomar, the evidence is now so compelling that the team would “even bet on Tucis” being located at Son Fornés.
Why Tucis and Guium Matter
Both Tucis and Guium are mentioned by Pliny the Elder in his Natural History, yet their precise locations have remained a subject of debate for centuries. These cities are believed to have been founded after the Roman general Quintus Caecilius Metellus conquered the Balearic Islands in 123 BCE, formally integrating Mallorca into the Roman Republic.
During this period, Rome reorganized many local communities into civitates stipendiariae—tax-paying cities governed under Roman administrative systems. Such cities were central to taxation, legal administration, and the spread of Roman culture across the island. Until now, however, Tucis and Guium had remained theoretical, proposed at locations such as Sineu, Manacor, Petra, or Ses Salines without firm archaeological proof.
Artifacts That Signal Urban Importance
What sets Son Fornés apart is not only the scale of its architecture but the quality and quantity of material culture uncovered. Archaeologists have identified large numbers of tegulae—Roman roof tiles that required organized production and transport—pointing to high-status public or residential buildings.
Amphorae fragments and fine tableware further suggest wealth, long-distance trade connections, and a substantial population during the Roman Imperial period. Cristina Rihuete, director of the Son Fornés Archaeological Museum, has noted that even surface finds alone indicate an “extremely important Roman site.”
A Site Spanning Two Millennia
Son Fornés is already recognized as one of the Balearic Islands’ most significant archaeological locations. Excavations have continued since 1975, documenting nearly 2,000 years of uninterrupted human occupation. The site traces Mallorca’s evolution from the prehistoric Talayotic culture—characterized by massive stone towers known as talayots—through increasing social stratification and into full Roman urban life.
Earlier layers reveal a communal society structured around collective architecture. Later phases show the rise of elites, Mediterranean influences, and eventually Roman-style villas, reflecting the island’s gradual integration into wider Phoenician, Punic, and Roman networks.
Mallorca in the Roman Mediterranean
Under Roman rule, Mallorca—known as Balearis Maior—held strategic value in the western Mediterranean. Roman authorities introduced road systems, ports, agricultural intensification, and new economic frameworks. Established cities such as Pollentia, near modern Alcúdia, flourished as administrative and commercial centers.
If Son Fornés is confirmed as Tucis, historians may need to redraw Mallorca’s Roman map, recognizing a previously unknown political and administrative hub in the island’s interior.
What Comes Next
Future excavation seasons will focus on what researchers believe could be the city’s central area—potentially yielding inscriptions, public buildings, or administrative spaces that could definitively confirm its identity. As archaeologist Vicente Llull observes, “We are revealing pages of history that were never written.”
For now, Son Fornés stands as one of the most promising archaeological discoveries in Mallorca in decades—offering a rare chance to recover a lost Roman city from the margins of history and restore it to the map of the ancient Mediterranean.