NEGOTIATING AND CONTESTING MARGINAL LANDSCAPES ON THE WESTERN FRINGES OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE

Project Information

FINISTERRAE

Grant agreement ID: 794048

DOI

10.3030/794048

Project closed

EC signature date 4 April 2018

Start date 1 September 2019

End date 11 June 2022

Funded under

• EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions

Total cost

€ 195 454,80

EU contribution

€ 195 454,80

Coordinated by

THE UNIVERSITY OF EXETER
United Kingdom

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - FINISTERRAE (NEGOTIATING AND CONTESTING MARGINAL LANDSCAPES ON THE WESTERN FRINGES OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE)

Reporting period: 2019-09-01 to 2022-04-30

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

FINISTERRAE investigated in a comparative way the changing character of Roman imperialism in Northwest Iberia (northern Portugal and Galicia) and Southwest England (Devon and Cornwall), evaluating its nature and impact on local landscapes and societies on the western fringes of the Roman Empire. This allowed the review of the current interpretations of the Roman state's role in territorial expansion, provincial organization and resource exploitation following the conquest. It also helped to better contextualize the interaction between the Roman army and the indigenous communities within a wider chronological and geographical framework, delivering an innovative inter-provincial, cross-comparative, multivocal and holistic landscape approach to this historical process. Both regions were reassessed as landscapes of opportunity rather than marginal.
The key questions addressed were:
1) To what extent was the conquest of these liminal areas motivated by political or economic imperialism?
2) Were these areas directly controlled and managed by the Roman state and integrated into the Roman economic system?
3) What was the role of the Roman army in the conquest and post-conquest territorial organisation and resource exploitation?
4) What was the reaction from the local indigenous communities?
5) Can we trace the impact that productive activities such as mining had on the landscape?
6) Are these mineral-rich zones best interpreted as marginal, or rather as landscapes of opportunities?
Moving beyond the traditional reliance on historical accounts, this study employed an integrated and interdisciplinary methodology combining geospatial technologies (GIS and remote sensing), archaeological survey (archaeological prospection and excavation, topographical and geophysical surveys) and scientific methods (absolute dating, palaeoenvironmental, archaeometry and geoarchaeological studies).

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

A landscape archaeology perspective combining natural and cultural factors was adopted, with a multi-scalar and multi-proxy assessment of on- and off-site archaeological contexts within.
The off-site approach involved the assessment of the extent and character of the Late Iron Age settlement patterns, Roman military presence, Roman civilian structure and ancient mining traces, using a bespoke combined cutting-edge non-invasive remote sensing approach (airborne LiDAR data and aerial and satellite imagery) to including published and grey literature. All data collected was collated within a GIS developed specifically for this project.
The on-site approach targeted key Iron Age hillforts, Roman military and civilian sites, and ancient mining remains within relevant landscapes. It involved:
• geophysical survey;
• targeted evaluation trenches;
• absolute dating (radiocarbon and luminescence dating);
• archaeometallurgical studies;
• and archaeobotanical studies.
In Northwest Iberia, the fieldwork was focused on the Gerês-Xurés Transboundary Biosphere Reserve, an upland and protected landscape located on the border between northern Portugal and southern Galicia, where several new Roman military camps were located through remote sensing. The Roman military sites of Lomba do Mouro, Chaira da Maza, Alto da Pedrada and Alto da Raia were targeted, alongside several nearby Iron Age hillforts and ancient mines. This successfully evidenced archaeologically and provided insight into the early presence of the Roman army in the area before the establishment of the fort of Aquis Querquernis once the Roman conquest was completed. This included the possibility that the local communities have adapted and engaged in complex interaction with the Roman army far more intensely and extensively than previously assumed. The fieldwork was done in commission with Era-Arqueologia through support from the local city councils of Arcos de Valdevez, Melgaço, Montalegre and Calvos de Randín. Part of the research was done in collaboration with the Romanarmy.eu research collective and the IberianTin project (PTDC/HAR-ARQ/32290/2017) funded by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology. A small grant from the Roman Society also made it possible to expand the results of this project by contributing to the absolute dating of ancient occupation on several sites.
In Southwest England, the fieldwork was focused on the Taw River valley, in particular on the site of North Tawton (https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1021151) where an extensive geophysical survey allowed the detailed mapping of a major Roman military and civilian complex. This is the first site of its kind identified to the west of Exeter (Isca Dumnoniorum), the main Roman legionary fortress and Roman town in Southwest England and reveals a considerably larger and more diversified early presence of the Roman army as a response to local factors than previously estimated. This research was done in direct collaboration with Dr Christopher Smart and in connection with the National Lottery Heritage Fund projects ‘Understanding Landscapes’ and 'Unlocking Landscapes’, with the support of Devon County Council and Cornwall Council. Data processing and mapping also allowed the researcher to expand methodologically in order to incorporate Artificial Intelligence and Citizen Science approaches. The research enabled a systematic re-assessment of the archaeological map of Southwest England based on airborne LiDAR data and has made it possible to locate new Iron Age hillforts, Roman civilian and Roman military sites and access routes across the landscape.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

The new data allowed the comparative reassessment of evidence on conquest and integration from both Northwest Iberia and Southwest England. Both represented examples of landscapes of opportunity, emphasizing the dynamism of these frontier areas. Traditionally these areas have been recognised as peripheral and marginal, even though their natural resources have been the object of interest from early on from various external agents. This contributed to these areas being in contact and open to long-distance contacts and trade. The achievements of this research have recently contributed to discussions more widely on the nature and extent of Roman conquest and imperialism on the fringes of the Roman Empire.
By emphasizing frontier zones as places of positive and dynamic encounter and transformation, and by considering that globalisation and connectivity are direct consequences of imperialism, this project helped to establish valid comparisons between the Roman frontier dynamics and contemporary mobilities and border issues. This enables a more reflective understanding of ancient and modern imperialism, nationalism and identity dynamics, and opens positive alternatives to contemporary problems facing Europe.
The project provided extensive opportunities for local communities to engage with their ancient past and to support academic research via multiple local bodies in both Portugal, Spain and Britain. Moreover, the project provided substantial opportunities for public outreach via social media dissemination and the production of a wider dissemination video for Northwest Iberia (https://youtu.be/fXGZVPHf3Oc) and the development of Citizen Science community engagement initiatives in Southwest Britain.

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