## 1 Introduction  
### Aims of This Paper  
e-Archeo is an Italian project commissioned by the Italian Ministry of Culture (MiC) and realised thanks to the support of ALES S.p.A., a MiC in-house company. It is a highly innovative project aimed at the multimedia and technological enhancement of eight Italian archaeological sites through different communication formats and, in particular, through digital and virtual reality technologies. The project has been the subject of a recent publication, which puts e-Archeo in the context of other past and present projects, in order to support its novelty and its contribution to the research [1]. Referring to past publications for information related to the project's objectives, the entities involved, and the adopted methods, this paper focuses on the specific role played by the University of Verona, Department of Cultures and Civilisations, on the sites of Sirmione and Desenzano (Lombardy). Among the selected archaeological sites in the e-Archeo project, those of Sirmione and Desenzano constitute a special case for two reasons: they are the only non-urban examples and the only--so to speak--double site, in the sense that they are two Roman villas built at different times and for different purposes, but united by the close relationship that the structures established with Lake Garda (Figure 1). The lake, with its landscape value and rich economy, has thus been the common thread in the story of the two complexes. The first villa, known as the \"Grotte di Catullo\", was built on the tip of the Sirmione peninsula in the Augustan age and continued in use until the early 3 rd century AD, while the second one underwent a phase of renovation and restructuring involving the creation of a set of formal reception rooms on a monumental scale in the 4 th century. The two villas thus embrace a long period of use, ranging from the phase of full Romanization of the territory to the decline of the Western Empire and the new uses that followed the end of their original functions, offering the possibility of a wide historical narrative of continuity and settlement transformation. In the study and valorisation of the two villas, the University used technical and scientific skills and expertise that usually remain in the narrow circle of research, whereas, in this case, they have been used for a people-oriented project. Plans, reconstructive studies, photogrammetry, and iconographic, historical, and archaeological studies produced by the University have also been shared in an open format on Zenodo [2] and thus have been rendered open and consultable, even before the project was presented to the public. The following list outlines the specific contributions made by the University of Verona in line with the overall goals of the e-Archeo project:  
1. The conduct of surveys of both sites using drones and other techniques and the production of phase plans to gather data for virtual reconstructions. 2. The study of wall structures, wall paintings, floor coverings, and architectural and statuary elements to compare them with better-preserved examples that could inspire virtual reconstructions. 3. The use of virtual reconstructions as a tool for scientific investigation by mapping the scientific back-end of the reconstructive hypothesis. 4. The development of a narrative based on scientific and research content to meet the interests of a broader audience. On the one hand, captivating narratives are provided to the curious visitor, focused on daily life in these places and the relationship between the villas and the natural landscape; on the other, information on the levels of reliability of the reconstructions, sources, and interpretative processes are available for scholars. 5. The production of texts for a web app developed for the project and used as a basis for content in podcasts, video documentaries, and installations. 6. The sharing of plans, reconstructive studies, photogrammetry surveys, and iconographic, historical, and archaeological studies on Zenodo.