Old themes, new means: 35 years of research into the Roman landscapes of Latium Vetus

In this contribution, we look at the evolution of the Pontine Region Project (PRP),
one of the longest-running landscape archaeological projects in the Mediterranean. In particular, we will revisit three themes that have been central to the project from the outset: 1) the impact of Roman colonization on rural settlement; 2) the potential of survey ceramics for the study of Roman settlement and economy; and 3) the impact of Roman land-use on the region’s landscape and environment. Through a constant process of methodological
refinement, interdisciplinary collaboration (mainly with earth scientists) and
increased knowledge of the material culture of the region, the project now incorporates a wealth of data that allows us to conduct fine-grained analysis of the main historical processes that affected the region. Even after more than 35 years, the PRP’s multidisciplinary approach to landscape thus continues to provide an extremely powerful perspective on the past.