Minor Centres in the Pontine Plain: The Cases of Forum Appii and Ad Medias

Abstract

Although both the urban and rural landscapes of Roman Italy have received due attention in current debates on the Roman economy, this is less true for the highly variable group of intermediate sites, here conveniently labelled as 'minor centres', and their role within economic networks. This contribution focuses attention on two such sites, Forum Appii and Ad Medias, situated in the Pontine plain (Lazio, central Italy) along the Via Appia. After addressing issues of definition and the current state of research, we shall approach the potential functions of such sites through geographic models. Next, we discuss the results of a programme of geophysical surveys and field walking on both casestudy sites. The results obtained suggest that, although far from being a uniform settlement class, minor centres could perform crucial functions within local and regional economies. Based on the present data, Forum Appii developed into a centre of craft production and, with its river port, also became a trade hub of regional importance. Ad Medias functioned primarily as a small centre provisioning and servicing travellers and the local rural population. To conclude the article, we consider the implications of the results obtained in terms of future research strategies.Mentre sia i paesaggi urbani sia quelli rurali dell'Italia romana hanno ricevuto una doverosa attenzione nel corrente dibattito sull'economia romana, lo stesso non si può dire per il gruppo di siti di tipo intermedio e il ruolo da loro giocato all'interno dei network economici. Essi sono enormemente variabili e in questo lavoro opportunamente etichettati come 'centri minori'. Il presente contributo focalizza l'attenzione su due siti di questo tipo: Forum Appii e Ad Medias nella Pianura Pontina (Lazio, Italia centrale), lungo la via Appia. Vengono trattate in prima istanza questioni relative alla definizione e allo stato attuale della ricerca, per poi affrontare tramite modelli geografici le potenziali funzioni di questo tipo di siti. Il contributo discute poi i risultati di un programma di indagini geofisiche e di ricognizioni topografiche nei due casi studio presi in considerazione. I risultati ottenuti suggeriscono come, sebbene lontani dal costituire una classe di insediamento omogenea, i centri minori potessero svolgere funzioni cruciali all'interno degli assetti economici locali e regionali. Stando ai dati oggi a disposizione, Forum Appii si sviluppò in un centro di manifattura artigianale e, con il suo porto fluviale, divenne anche un centro commerciale di importanza regionale. Ad Medias svolse in primo luogo il ruolo di un piccolo centro di approvvigionamento e di servizio per i viaggiatori e per la locale popolazione rurale. Per concludere, l'articolo prende in considerazione le implicazioni dei risultati ottenuti in relazione alle future strategie di ricerca.

The Late Antique and Medieval settlement of Astura (Lazio, Italy). A synthesis of GIA investigations (2005-2014)

“…The selected method, magnetometry, is particularly suited to the detection of structures that have been subjected to intense heat (brick-built structures and kilns with a remnant magnetisation) as well as stone walls, pavements and feature fills with a lower, but measurable contrast in magnetisation. Between 2012 and 2013, the team 28 For a more detailed description of the methodology see Tol et al 2014. surveyed three relatively open areas close to the coastline ( fig. 1), all just west of the settlement area as proposed by Piccarreta.…”

“…This presented us with a unique opportunity to gain insight into Late Antique and Early Medieval material culture, as these historical phases are poorly documented archaeologically in the Pontine Region (see also Leotta & Rinaudo 2015). On the basis of the recorded remains, additional mapping and small-scale geophysical surveys were carried out in 2012 and 2013 as part of the Minor Centres Project, a recently finished subproject of the PRP in which we investigated the role of nucleated rural settlements in local and regional economies (Tol et al 2014;De Haas et al 2017).…”

The Global Roman Countryside: Connectivity and Community

“…45 Johnson et al (2004), Potter et al (1999). 46 For similar settlements south of Rome-small towns, markets and road stations-which developed on the Via Appia in the Pontine Marshes, see Tol et al (2014). 47 Hitchner (2012).…”

On complementarity of practice, scale and structure. Scalar aspects of social/material space in Anatolian peri-urban contexts in antiquity

“…Researchers working on social complexity are beginning to address the way in which towns have their own dynamic processes that are in some ways independent of proximate urban centres (e.g. Tol et al 2014). In fact, the study of towns is likely to yield a more tractable way of understanding the first truly urban realms, because any city's origins are otherwise very difficult to ascertain, buried as they are beneath metres and metres of occupation.…”