Politics, People and Landscapes. From Attica to Ancient Latium

Since the 19th c., the archaeological heritage of Latium has been the focus of studies centring on various issues, including: the classification of ruins in Roman campagna, urbanism, land exploitation, settlement patterns, colonies, and “Romanisation”. Recently, and thanks to the Lazio Antico project, the existent archaeological data for Latium Vetus and Adiectum has been reassessed and entered into a single geodatabase integrated with historical sources (texts and inscriptions), cartography and environmental resources, thus establishing a comprehensive overview of the historical landscapes from the end of Bronze Age (in Italy, 11th c. BC) until the Early Middle Ages (6th c. AD). This detailed analysis of a wide regional study area allows us to compare the archaeological histories of places, monuments and objects with the political history of the whole Region and of local communities. The collected information has led us to fully appreciate the landscape as a cultural artefact, expressing the cultural history of individuals and communities, and representing a constant flow of change and continuity. New analyses of Latin cities and territories can now be based on scientific narratives considering local variabilities in spatial behaviours, their relations with the political unity of the region since at least the end of 4th c. BC, and specific political Roman institutions aimed at the management of conquered territories