When? Where? How? Questions on the origins of the city in Rome

The “origins” of Rome and the assesment of the recent archaeological discoveries from the so-called ‘early royal period’ are still debated issues. However, it is only recently that the city’s origins have been addressed with a substantial amount of new data and a more systematic consideration of the distribution and nature of ar- chaeological remains on the site of Rome during the earliest historic age within broader process as such as settlement evolution on the banks of the Tiber and social stratifica- tion of the related communities since the pre- and proto-urban ages. Today, it seems possible to state that the border and in some sectors of the unified Iron Age settlement on the site of Rome – attested at least around the mid-9th century BC. – an important change occurred during the 8th century BC (Latium Phase III B), witnessed by the first appearance of “central” political and religious monuments/places.