7th September 2012
Entire Roman town revealed by geophysical survey
Astonishingly, the Roman town of Interamna Lirenas has been largely ignored but a new collaborative initiative, under the direction of Dr Alessandro Launaro and Prof Martin Millett of The University of Cambridge together with Dr Giovanna Bellini of the Superintendency of Lazio, The British School at Rome and The University of Southampton, has reignited the research potential of this site. Readdressing the issue of Roman colonisation is a fundamental part of The University of Cambridge’s Roman Colonial Landscapes project as well as understanding the relationship between the town and its territory.
The complete magnetometer survey: Interamna Lirenas townscape. Image: University of Cambridge, The British School at Rome and University of Southampton
The entire urban landscape of Interamna Lirenas, in central Italy, has now been revealed by the application of geophysical survey techniques. A magnetometer survey, conducted by a team from The University of Cambridge, The British School at Rome and The University of Southampton, covered 25ha of the town whilst a more targeted ground-penetrating radar (GPR) survey clarified such detail as the presence of a theatre.
Interamna Lirenas Theatre image University of Cambridge, The British School at Rome and The University of Southampton
Perched on a narrow saddle of land overhanging the Liri Valley and bisected by the course of the Via Latina, Interamna Lirenas was founded as a Roman colonial stronghold. As a result of the local topography, the town takes on an elongated and irregular form but yet, in the central and northern part of the town the regular division of land is evident separated by an orthogonal street grid. At the centre lies a forum with a theatre at its eastern end.
Interpretation of survey results with road system (in purple), insulae blocks, forum and theatre (in blue). Image University of Cambridge, The British School at Rome and University of Southampton
For more information on this discovery click here
For further information about the Roman Colonial Landscapes project click here
To view the seasons of work that culminated into this discovery click here
Interamna Lirenas in the press
Independent Newspaper report
London Evening Standard report
Past Horizons report
Phys.org report
Interamna Lirenas in publication
Hay, S., Launaro, A., Leone, N. and Millett, M. 2012. Intermana Lirenas e il suo territorio. Indagine archeologiche non invasive 2010. In Lazio e Sabina 8. Edizione Quasar. pp 603-9
Hay, S. 2010. For a brief report on the results of the magnetometer survey click here
