Lezioni di #Archeologia – Andrea Carandini racconta i suoi scavi sul Palatino [ENG SUBS]

Summary

The transcript details the excavation work carried out on the northern slopes of the Palatine Hill in Rome, revealing significant discoveries about ancient Roman history. Over 35 years, the excavation uncovered houses dating back to 530 BC and a sacred deposit beneath a doorway, possibly linked to early Roman traditions. The findings challenge traditional historical beliefs about Rome’s founding, showing an earlier settlement and a more complex evolution of the city's structure, including the Servian Walls and the city's transformation under King Servius Tullius. The work overturns misconceptions about Rome’s origins, redefining its ancient history.

Takeaways

• 😀 The speaker has conducted excavations primarily in Rome, Italy, and North Africa, with a major focus on the northern slopes of the Palatine Hill in Rome.
• 😀 One of the most impressive discoveries was the excavation of houses dating back to the 6th century BCE, around 530 BCE, beneath imperial-era markets and shops.
• 😀 The Roman houses uncovered were built with squared stonework (opus quadratum) and had an atrium design, a feature that became more prominent during the late Republic and early Empire.
• 😀 The excavation revealed a significant void before these 6th-century houses, with a wall and a sacred deposit beneath a threshold, dating back to around 775-750 BCE.
• 😀 This discovery corroborated ancient literary sources suggesting that Carmona had founded a settlement in Rome in the 8th century BCE, particularly in the Palatine area.
• 😀 The excavation uncovered evidence of a monumental structure and a wall believed to be associated with Romulus, whose violation by Remus is part of the traditional founding myth.
• 😀 This early structure was significant but was eventually replaced in the 6th century BCE when Servius Tullius expanded Rome’s boundaries and constructed the Servian Walls.
• 😀 The gates of the early wall were symbolically important and continued to be preserved even after the physical walls were dismantled, continuing into the time of Nero.
• 😀 The excavation also revealed that beneath the walls, early Roman settlements existed, with simple huts from the 7th century BCE, depicting Rome's early pre-history.
• 😀 The findings challenged historical criticisms of Rome's origins, confirming that Rome was founded in the 8th century BCE, not the 6th century BCE, as previously believed by some historians.
• 😀 The excavation's revelations provided critical insights into Rome's early urban development, which had been largely overlooked by earlier generations of archaeologists.

Q & A

What is the main excavation site discussed in the transcript?

The main excavation site discussed is the northern slopes of the Palatine Hill in Rome, specifically between the Velia and the Sacred Area of the Forum.

What did the archaeologist initially hope to find under the imperial-era buildings?

The archaeologist initially hoped to find the houses of the Roman consuls, as mentioned in literary sources.

What significant discovery was made in the excavation?

The archaeologist discovered houses dating back to the 6th century BCE, around 530 BCE, built with squared stone masonry and atriums, which were precursor forms to later Roman houses.

What was the mystery surrounding the area before the 530 BCE houses?

Before the 530 BCE houses, there was a curious void in the area, with a wall and a door that led to a sacrificial deposit beneath the threshold, dating back to around 775–750 BCE.

How does the discovery relate to the founding of Rome according to literary sources?

The discovery of a wall and sacrificial deposit aligns with literary sources that mention the foundation of Rome by Romulus in the 8th century BCE, particularly the sacred area of the Palatine Hill.

What role did Servius Tullius play in the development of the area?

Servius Tullius expanded the sacred area of Rome to include the entire city and built the Servian Walls around 550 BCE, rendering the earlier walls no longer necessary.

What happened to the earlier walls after Servius Tullius' expansion?

The earlier walls, which had been built before Servius Tullius' expansion, were removed to make space for the houses of 530 BCE, but the gates remained preserved due to their symbolic significance.

How did the excavation reveal the city's development over time?

The excavation uncovered evidence of early Roman settlements, including pre-Roman huts dating back to the 7th century BCE, offering insights into Rome's gradual growth and development before it became the city known in historical records.

What is the significance of the houses dating to 530 BCE?

The houses from 530 BCE represent an important phase in the development of Roman residential architecture, as they feature atriums, a precursor to the canonical Roman house design that became widespread in the late Republic and early Empire.

What broader historical implications does the excavation have?

The excavation suggests that Rome was inhabited long before traditionally believed, with evidence of settlements dating back to the 8th century BCE, challenging earlier historical assumptions about the city's foundation and development.