Between October 2019 and March 2025, the Rome Transformed Project (ROMETRANS) conducted extensive fieldwork in and around the eastern Caelian (southeastern Rome), pursuing an ambitious interdisciplinary agenda to understand how complex urban environments evolve. The project brought together an international team of experts—archaeologists, architects, engineers, environmental scientists, geographers, geologists, geophysicists, historians, and topographers.
The core team came from Newcastle University (UK), Università di Firenze (Italy), the British School at Rome (UK/Italy), and the Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (Italy). ROMETRANS was funded by the European Research Council and received key support and permissions from heritage authorities including the Sovrintendenza Capitolina ai Beni Culturali, the Soprintendenza Speciale di Roma, and the Vatican Museums.
ROMETRANS aimed to advance methods for large-scale urban research while deepening understanding of the eastern Caelian Hill’s transformation over eight centuries—from the reign of Augustus to that of Pope Leo III. To do this, the team collected and synthesized data from four main sources: geophysical survey, structural analysis, environmental sampling, and historical archives.
The geophysical survey—over 11 hectares—was the largest ever conducted for archaeology in Rome. Using ground-penetrating radar (GPR) and electrical resistance tomography (ERT), experts from the British School at Rome, the CNR, and Geostudi Astier investigated diverse surfaces, including nearly 3 hectares of ancient roads.
The second strand focused on archaeological structures—some still visible in the modern city, others in older, inaccessible excavations. ROMETRANS researchers studied every known site in the area, sometimes alongside existing teams. Terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) and Structure from Motion (SfM) were used to create detailed 3D models. Drone imaging was provided by Marco Solvi and ArcheoTech&Survey Ltd (University of Siena).
The third strand focused on environmental data, mainly through a borehole drilling programme led by geomorphologist Carlo Rosa. Drilling up to 15 metres, the team analysed soil layers to track surface changes from classical times to late antiquity. Earlier borehole data from Metro Line C construction was also reassessed.
The fourth strand reappraised legacy data. Researchers consulted eight Roman archives, studying maps, drawings, and excavation records—many digitally geo-referenced. Redundant utility records were also examined for their informational and interpretive value.
The team integrated findings using innovative digital tools. “Provocation models” tested interpretations through 3D reconstructions; RT SCIEDOC tracked data sources in visualizations; RT3D, a GIS-based tool, modelled surface changes over time. These tools support future excavation planning and historical research.
This integrated approach offered a strong foundation for understanding how the eastern Caelian evolved during a formative era. The area was central to Roman innovation—from military and imperial buildings to palatial complexes that influenced urban planning elsewhere. Religious transformations were also key. The project’s work on the Lateran quarter reveals the development of liturgical and assembly spaces later adopted widely in the western world.
ROMETRANS has made its research data Open Access through the Archaeology Data Service. It has also held exhibitions in both Italy and the UK. The project has produced a series of Open Access volumes on its findings, ranging from data capture methods, 'Non-Intrusive Methodologies for Large-Area Urban Research', to a discussion of the important ways the project illuminates shifting thinking in political, religious and military matters, 'The Transformation of Rome: The Eastern Caelian from the Principate of Augustus to the Pontificate of Leo III'.
