The 1970s and 1980s witnessed an explosion of interest in the archaeology of Republican and earlier Latium. The results of this wave of work, which was conducted primarily by Italian teams, were presented at large conferences and...
moreThe 1970s and 1980s witnessed an explosion of interest in the archaeology of Republican and earlier Latium. The results of this wave of work, which was conducted primarily by Italian teams, were presented at large conferences and published in landmark volumes. In recent decades, however, this coherent program of research and divulgation has to a certain extent disintegrated. While excavations and surveys continue to be carried out throughout the region, their results are seldom presented with the thematic unity and depth that characterized earlier efforts. In an attempt to return to and extend the impetus of the golden years of the archaeology of Latium, we bring together members of four large research projects for the first of a series of open discussions on the state of the art in the field. The theme of this initial meeting focuses on the theoretical and methodological innovations in the archaeology of Latium. The complex record from the region poses significant research challenges; key Republican and earlier sequences at many sites are difficult to access, and continued development is threatening entire landscapes. Research projects both old and new have met these challenges by adapting or developing progressive theoretical approaches and survey and excavation techniques. The panelists represent three large-scale urban excavations (Gabii; Rome-S. Omobono; Satricum) and a regional survey (Hidden Landscapes Project) that have made important contributions to the archaeology of Latium in recent years. The discussant, Christopher Smith, has produced seminal syntheses of the archaeology and history of the region and, as Director of the British School at Rome, is intimately familiar with how research on Republican and earlier Latium has been evolving.