Fieldwork
Land Division and Centuriation
We document the geometric grids imposed on colonial territories and assess how they guided the distribution of plots among settlers.
Research Project
Landscapes of Early Roman Colonization
An interdisciplinary investigation into how Roman colonists reshaped land, settlement, and territory across Italy and the western provinces during the early Republic and beyond.
Project Aims
Reading the Roman Landscape Through Colonial Foundations
The project examines how the founding of Roman colonies altered the physical and social landscape. By combining archaeological survey, landscape archaeology, historical geography, and environmental data, we trace the layout of new towns, the division of agricultural land, and the routes that connected settlers to their surroundings.
Our central question is how colonization changed the relationship between people and land, and how those changes shaped the long-term development of the regions involved.
- Integrated survey of colonial town plans and centuriation patterns
- Analysis of settlement distribution and land allocation
- Environmental reconstruction of soils, water, and vegetation
- Comparative study of colonial sites across multiple regions
Research Approach
Our methods bring together fieldwork, digital mapping, and textual evidence.
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Landscape Survey
Systematic field survey records surface finds, boundaries, and traces of ancient land division to reconstruct how colonial territories were organized.
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Spatial Analysis
Geographic information systems allow us to model settlement patterns, road networks, and the relationship between colonies and their hinterlands.
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Environmental Data
Palaeoenvironmental studies of soils, sediments, and pollen help us understand the ecological conditions colonists faced and transformed.
Key Research Areas
Three strands guide the project from fieldwork to synthesis.
Mapping
Settlement and Road Networks
Digital mapping links new towns, farmsteads, and roads, showing how communication shaped the economic life of each colony.
Excavation
Colonial Sites in Context
Targeted excavations test the chronology of colonial foundations and provide material evidence for daily life in new communities.
Project Timeline
The project unfolds in phases, moving from data collection to comparative synthesis.
Phase 1
Documentation and Desk Study
Compilation of existing surveys, ancient texts, and cartographic sources for each target region.
Phase 2
Field Survey and Sampling
Systematic survey, geophysical prospection, and environmental sampling at selected colonial landscapes.
Phase 3
Analysis and Modelling
Integration of spatial, environmental, and material data into models of colonial land use.
Phase 4
Synthesis and Dissemination
Publication of results, comparative essays, and open data resources for the wider research community.
Follow the Research
Explore our team, read our published work, and learn how the project is reshaping our understanding of early Roman colonization.
Browse Publications