Alfonsina Russo appointed new director of Parco Archeologico del Colosseo

Italian archaeologist Alfonsina Russo has been named the new director of the Parco Archeologico del Colosseo in Rome, a role that encompasses management of the Colosseum, Roman Forum, Palatine Hill, Domus Aurea, and Meta Sudans. The appointment was announced by Minister of Cultural Heritage Dario Franceschini, concluding a months-long selection process that drew 78 candidates, 15% from abroad. The commission, chaired by Paolo Baratta (President of La Biennale di Venezia) and including Luca Giuliani, Keith Christiansen, Lorenzo Casini, and Claudia Ferrazzi, shortlisted 10 candidates for interviews on November 18, 2017, and presented a final three to the minister. Russo, a career ministry official since 2009, previously served as Superintendent for Southern Etruria and for Archaeology, Fine Arts, and Landscape in metropolitan Rome, Viterbo, and Southern Etruria. She led projects such as Experience Etruria and promoted the Paths of St. Paul and St. Francis for the 2016 Jubilee. Her annual gross compensation is €145,000, with potential benefits up to €35,000. Franceschini praised Russo as a high-quality profile who will combine research, innovation, and preservation. The appointment follows the controversial reform that created "super-directors" for state museums, with Franceschini defending the transparent selection process against criticism over foreign candidates.