The Archaeology of Roman Portugal in its Western Mediterranean Context

This book aims to unlock the potential that the archaeology of Roman Portugal offers for our wider understanding of Roman imperialism. The archaeology of Rome’s westernmost frontier is extraordinarily rich, and presents several particularities – from ocean resources, marble and metal mining to specific settlement forms and cultural traditions – to name but a few that deserve attention as well as contextualisation in the wider western Mediterranean. An explicit goal of the volume is to open up a discussion on how the Portuguese panorama compares to other areas of the western Mediterranean. Different research traditions and language issues have hindered comparative analyses. All chapters are in English and several take a wider Iberian or Mediterranean perspective. The volume revolves around four sections. The first one regards the initial phase of Roman encroachment and expansion in western Iberia. The second section discusses economic developments during Roman rule by looking at the material categories of marble and table wares. The third section presents case studies of settlements and settlement organization in present-day Portugal and Spain. The last section, then, foregrounds religious, ritual activities and issues of cultural identity in both Spain and Portugal. It is intended for both specialists and students who want to know more about this much under-represented area at the fringes of the Roman Empire.