Since 2017, excavations have taken place on Caesar’s Forum in Rome. The area holds archaeological... more Since 2017, excavations have taken place on Caesar’s Forum in Rome. The area holds archaeological evidence covering three thousand years of Rome’s prehistory and historical periods. The excavations offer wide-ranging research possibilities connected to the urban development of one of the classical world’s pivotal city centres. However, the location’s centrality also offers challenges when transforming the vast bulk and complex nature of the archaeological data into scientific publications, while also making the results accessible to the public. This article presents results from the first excavation phases within a best-practice Open Data strategy embedded into the project from its outset. The applied methods and techniques ensure that traditional, analogue scientific publications are supplemented with online access to the excavation’s raw data, high-resolution illustrations, and 3-D reconstructions obtained through laser scans and photogrammetry.
When Rome became the capital of a unified Italian state in 1871, the city lagged behind other Eur... more When Rome became the capital of a unified Italian state in 1871, the city lagged behind other European capitals in contemporary architectural expression. Ancient ruins evoked a distant glory, although the area of Rome containing the Imperial Fora was covered over by a dense urban residential quarter called the Alessandrino District. The quarter was labelled a slum district by fascist propaganda, and it was demolished in the early 1930s to make way for a parade avenue, the Via dell’Impero. This article presents a discussion of the cultural and socio-economic nature of the Alessandrino District in the decades before its destruction, combining results from the Danish-Italian excavations at Caesar’s Forum with a selection of archival data and historical accounts. The findings presented here indicate that a newly investigated area of the Alessandrino District was in fact not a slum district but rather a thriving middle-class residential and commercial area.
Excavations in Rome have long focused on the early city; only recently has attention turned to th... more Excavations in Rome have long focused on the early city; only recently has attention turned to the archaeology of the medieval and later periods. Here, the authors present a rare sixteenth-century context, dating to a time when European cities contended with repeat epidemics and implemented measures to control the spread of disease. A contextual approach to the assemblage leads to its identification as a ‘medical dump’ of clinical equipment, including glass urine flasks and ‘single-serve’ ceramics, many of the latter specifically produced for the Ospedale dei Fornari. Drawing on Renaissance medical treatises, the authors argue that this material represents the disposal of potentially infected objects, shedding light on urban waste-management practices.
When Rome became the capital of a unified Italian state in 1871, the city lagged behind other Eur... more When Rome became the capital of a unified Italian state in 1871, the city lagged behind other European capitals in contemporary architectural expression. Ancient ruins evoked a distant glory, although the area of Rome containing the Imperial Fora was covered over by a dense urban residential quarter called the Alessandrino District. The quarter was labelled a slum district by fascist propaganda, and it was demolished in the early 1930s to make way for a parade avenue, the Via dell’Impero. This article presents a discussion of the cultural and socio-economic nature of the Alessandrino District in the decades before its destruction, combining results from the Danish-Italian excavations at Caesar’s Forum with a selection of archival data and historical accounts. The findings presented here indicate that a newly investigated area of the Alessandrino District was in fact not a slum district but rather a thriving middle-class residential and commercial area.
This contribution is the result of the preventive archaeology activities carried out in May 2021 ... more This contribution is the result of the preventive archaeology activities carried out in May 2021 in the Castelnuovo Parano (FR) castle area with the execution of preventive archaeological tests. The project, which concerns the castle structures, provided for the reorganisation of the open spaces in front of the castle nucleus. It should be noted that the existing structures were partly restored. In essence, these are architectural interventions aimed at improving the quality of the site. The work also allowed for the spatial use of the area delimited by the walls around the castrum tower. In the light of the design indications, the areas of two test trenches (I and II) were positioned and investigated in the areas where the new building interventions were located. As part of the same archaeological activities, a BIM model dedicated to the project was designed and realised in which all the data obtained would converge. This choice was determined by the need to create a computerised, searchable and functional platform for subsequent archaeological and topographical investigations, as well as for future research activities.
L’area urbana e il territorio dell’antica Aquinum, lungo la via Latina tra Frosinone (Frusino) e ... more L’area urbana e il territorio dell’antica Aquinum, lungo la via Latina tra Frosinone (Frusino) e Cassino (Casinum) (FR), sono oggetto di studi aero-topografici, analisi geofisiche, campagne di ricognizione archeologica da parte del Laboratorio di Topografia Antica e Fotogrammetria dell’Università del Salento. L’insieme delle attività ha rivelato le enormi potenzialità del sito su molteplici aspetti. Gli studi sistematici condotti hanno portato alla definizione del perimetro urbano di Aquinum e di alcuni quartieri della città. Partendo dai dati raccolti, sono state avviate campagne di scavo sistematiche. Queste hanno riportato alla luce un edificio termale di dimensioni eccezionali. Sul fronte della valorizzazione è in fase di attuazione un progetto di musealizzazione basato sulla Realtà Aumentata e sulla tecnologia Kinect, al fine di rendere intellegibile per un più ampio pubblico possibile le evidenze strutturali e reperti significativi.The urban area and territory of Aquinum, a ro...
The aim of this paper is to show the preliminary results of the archaeological excavations, which... more The aim of this paper is to show the preliminary results of the archaeological excavations, which took place over five campaigns between June 2009 and July 2013. Until now it has been dug a area, covering about 4500 square meters, which has brought to light some spaces related to a thermal complex. The excavation have brought to light a public road, also, that defines the complex (and the entire block) on the northern side. The roadway of this urban street is parallel to the via Latina. Lo scavo delle Terme di Aquinum si è svolto nell'arco di cinque campagne di scavo 1 , tra il giugno 2009 e luglio 2013, sotto la direzione del prof. G. Ceraudo, docente di Topografia antica presso il Dipartimento di Beni Cul-turali dell'Università del Salento a Lecce. Il progetto di ricerca archeologica, che si inserisce nel più ampio "Progetto Ager Aquinas", portato avanti dal Laboratorio di Topografia Antica e Fotogrammetria dell'Ateneo leccese, nasce in collaborazione con la ...
The urban area and territory of Aquinum, a roman city situated along the via Latina between Frosi... more The urban area and territory of Aquinum, a roman city situated along the via Latina between Frosinone (Frusino) and Cassino (Casinum) (FR), were investigated by means of aero-topographical studies, geophysical prospecting and archaeological field survey. All research activity has been carried out by a team involved in Laboratory of Ancient Topography and Photogrammentry of University of Salento. The work has been organized according to the great archaeological potentialities offered by the site. Starting from the collected data, archaeological excavation campaigns have been carried out. Thanks to the archaeological excavation campaigns led at the heart of the ancient Roman town, great results have been got. In particular, the knowledge of a central part of the built-up area was improved, where there are public buildings (thermal baths). In the implementation phase is a project of innovative “musealization” based on augmented reality and of Kinect technology, in order to make intelli...
The urban area and territory of Aquinum , roman city situated along the route of via Latina were ... more The urban area and territory of Aquinum , roman city situated along the route of via Latina were investigated by means of aero-topographical studies, geophysical prospecting and archaeological field survey. The work has been organized according to the great archaeological potentialities and the promising perspectives of research offered by the site. Casale Pascale, a rural dwelling owned by the municipality of Castrocielo, was used to create a new “musealization”: an innovative zoom on the archaeological site, based on augmented reality and of Kinect technology, in order to make intelligible to a wider audience as possible the structural evidence and the significant materials from the excavation.
Since 2017, excavations have taken place on Caesar’s Forum in Rome. The area holds archaeological... more Since 2017, excavations have taken place on Caesar’s Forum in Rome. The area holds archaeological evidence covering three thousand years of Rome’s prehistory and historical periods. The excavations offer wide-ranging research possibilities connected to the urban development of one of the classical world’s pivotal city centres. However, the location’s centrality also offers challenges when transforming the vast bulk and complex nature of the archaeological data into scientific publications, while also making the results accessible to the public. This article presents results from the first excavation phases within a best-practice Open Data strategy embedded into the project from its outset. The applied methods and techniques ensure that traditional, analogue scientific publications are supplemented with online access to the excavation’s raw data, high-resolution illustrations, and 3-D reconstructions obtained through laser scans and photogrammetry.
The aim of this paper is to show the preliminary results of the archaeological excavations, which... more The aim of this paper is to show the preliminary results of the archaeological excavations, which took place over five campaigns between June 2009 and July 2013. Until now it has been dug a area, covering about 4500 square meters, which has brought to light some spaces related to a thermal complex. The excavation have brought to light a public road, also, that defines the com-plex (and the entire block) on the northern side. The roadway of this urban street is parallel to the via Latina.
Since 2017, excavations have taken place on Caesar’s Forum in Rome. The area holds archaeological... more Since 2017, excavations have taken place on Caesar’s Forum in Rome. The area holds archaeological evidence covering three thousand years of Rome’s prehistory and historical periods. The excavations offer wide-ranging research possibilities connected to the urban development of one of the classical world’s pivotal city centres. However, the location’s centrality also offers challenges when transforming the vast bulk and complex nature of the archaeological data into scientific publications, while also making the results accessible to the public. This article presents results from the first excavation phases within a best-practice Open Data strategy embedded into the project from its outset. The applied methods and techniques ensure that traditional, analogue scientific publications are supplemented with online access to the excavation’s raw data, high-resolution illustrations, and 3-D reconstructions obtained through laser scans and photogrammetry.
When Rome became the capital of a unified Italian state in 1871, the city lagged behind other Eur... more When Rome became the capital of a unified Italian state in 1871, the city lagged behind other European capitals in contemporary architectural expression. Ancient ruins evoked a distant glory, although the area of Rome containing the Imperial Fora was covered over by a dense urban residential quarter called the Alessandrino District. The quarter was labelled a slum district by fascist propaganda, and it was demolished in the early 1930s to make way for a parade avenue, the Via dell’Impero. This article presents a discussion of the cultural and socio-economic nature of the Alessandrino District in the decades before its destruction, combining results from the Danish-Italian excavations at Caesar’s Forum with a selection of archival data and historical accounts. The findings presented here indicate that a newly investigated area of the Alessandrino District was in fact not a slum district but rather a thriving middle-class residential and commercial area.
Excavations in Rome have long focused on the early city; only recently has attention turned to th... more Excavations in Rome have long focused on the early city; only recently has attention turned to the archaeology of the medieval and later periods. Here, the authors present a rare sixteenth-century context, dating to a time when European cities contended with repeat epidemics and implemented measures to control the spread of disease. A contextual approach to the assemblage leads to its identification as a ‘medical dump’ of clinical equipment, including glass urine flasks and ‘single-serve’ ceramics, many of the latter specifically produced for the Ospedale dei Fornari. Drawing on Renaissance medical treatises, the authors argue that this material represents the disposal of potentially infected objects, shedding light on urban waste-management practices.
When Rome became the capital of a unified Italian state in 1871, the city lagged behind other Eur... more When Rome became the capital of a unified Italian state in 1871, the city lagged behind other European capitals in contemporary architectural expression. Ancient ruins evoked a distant glory, although the area of Rome containing the Imperial Fora was covered over by a dense urban residential quarter called the Alessandrino District. The quarter was labelled a slum district by fascist propaganda, and it was demolished in the early 1930s to make way for a parade avenue, the Via dell’Impero. This article presents a discussion of the cultural and socio-economic nature of the Alessandrino District in the decades before its destruction, combining results from the Danish-Italian excavations at Caesar’s Forum with a selection of archival data and historical accounts. The findings presented here indicate that a newly investigated area of the Alessandrino District was in fact not a slum district but rather a thriving middle-class residential and commercial area.
This contribution is the result of the preventive archaeology activities carried out in May 2021 ... more This contribution is the result of the preventive archaeology activities carried out in May 2021 in the Castelnuovo Parano (FR) castle area with the execution of preventive archaeological tests. The project, which concerns the castle structures, provided for the reorganisation of the open spaces in front of the castle nucleus. It should be noted that the existing structures were partly restored. In essence, these are architectural interventions aimed at improving the quality of the site. The work also allowed for the spatial use of the area delimited by the walls around the castrum tower. In the light of the design indications, the areas of two test trenches (I and II) were positioned and investigated in the areas where the new building interventions were located. As part of the same archaeological activities, a BIM model dedicated to the project was designed and realised in which all the data obtained would converge. This choice was determined by the need to create a computerised, searchable and functional platform for subsequent archaeological and topographical investigations, as well as for future research activities.
L’area urbana e il territorio dell’antica Aquinum, lungo la via Latina tra Frosinone (Frusino) e ... more L’area urbana e il territorio dell’antica Aquinum, lungo la via Latina tra Frosinone (Frusino) e Cassino (Casinum) (FR), sono oggetto di studi aero-topografici, analisi geofisiche, campagne di ricognizione archeologica da parte del Laboratorio di Topografia Antica e Fotogrammetria dell’Università del Salento. L’insieme delle attività ha rivelato le enormi potenzialità del sito su molteplici aspetti. Gli studi sistematici condotti hanno portato alla definizione del perimetro urbano di Aquinum e di alcuni quartieri della città. Partendo dai dati raccolti, sono state avviate campagne di scavo sistematiche. Queste hanno riportato alla luce un edificio termale di dimensioni eccezionali. Sul fronte della valorizzazione è in fase di attuazione un progetto di musealizzazione basato sulla Realtà Aumentata e sulla tecnologia Kinect, al fine di rendere intellegibile per un più ampio pubblico possibile le evidenze strutturali e reperti significativi.The urban area and territory of Aquinum, a ro...
The aim of this paper is to show the preliminary results of the archaeological excavations, which... more The aim of this paper is to show the preliminary results of the archaeological excavations, which took place over five campaigns between June 2009 and July 2013. Until now it has been dug a area, covering about 4500 square meters, which has brought to light some spaces related to a thermal complex. The excavation have brought to light a public road, also, that defines the complex (and the entire block) on the northern side. The roadway of this urban street is parallel to the via Latina. Lo scavo delle Terme di Aquinum si è svolto nell'arco di cinque campagne di scavo 1 , tra il giugno 2009 e luglio 2013, sotto la direzione del prof. G. Ceraudo, docente di Topografia antica presso il Dipartimento di Beni Cul-turali dell'Università del Salento a Lecce. Il progetto di ricerca archeologica, che si inserisce nel più ampio "Progetto Ager Aquinas", portato avanti dal Laboratorio di Topografia Antica e Fotogrammetria dell'Ateneo leccese, nasce in collaborazione con la ...
The urban area and territory of Aquinum, a roman city situated along the via Latina between Frosi... more The urban area and territory of Aquinum, a roman city situated along the via Latina between Frosinone (Frusino) and Cassino (Casinum) (FR), were investigated by means of aero-topographical studies, geophysical prospecting and archaeological field survey. All research activity has been carried out by a team involved in Laboratory of Ancient Topography and Photogrammentry of University of Salento. The work has been organized according to the great archaeological potentialities offered by the site. Starting from the collected data, archaeological excavation campaigns have been carried out. Thanks to the archaeological excavation campaigns led at the heart of the ancient Roman town, great results have been got. In particular, the knowledge of a central part of the built-up area was improved, where there are public buildings (thermal baths). In the implementation phase is a project of innovative “musealization” based on augmented reality and of Kinect technology, in order to make intelli...
The urban area and territory of Aquinum , roman city situated along the route of via Latina were ... more The urban area and territory of Aquinum , roman city situated along the route of via Latina were investigated by means of aero-topographical studies, geophysical prospecting and archaeological field survey. The work has been organized according to the great archaeological potentialities and the promising perspectives of research offered by the site. Casale Pascale, a rural dwelling owned by the municipality of Castrocielo, was used to create a new “musealization”: an innovative zoom on the archaeological site, based on augmented reality and of Kinect technology, in order to make intelligible to a wider audience as possible the structural evidence and the significant materials from the excavation.
Since 2017, excavations have taken place on Caesar’s Forum in Rome. The area holds archaeological... more Since 2017, excavations have taken place on Caesar’s Forum in Rome. The area holds archaeological evidence covering three thousand years of Rome’s prehistory and historical periods. The excavations offer wide-ranging research possibilities connected to the urban development of one of the classical world’s pivotal city centres. However, the location’s centrality also offers challenges when transforming the vast bulk and complex nature of the archaeological data into scientific publications, while also making the results accessible to the public. This article presents results from the first excavation phases within a best-practice Open Data strategy embedded into the project from its outset. The applied methods and techniques ensure that traditional, analogue scientific publications are supplemented with online access to the excavation’s raw data, high-resolution illustrations, and 3-D reconstructions obtained through laser scans and photogrammetry.
The aim of this paper is to show the preliminary results of the archaeological excavations, which... more The aim of this paper is to show the preliminary results of the archaeological excavations, which took place over five campaigns between June 2009 and July 2013. Until now it has been dug a area, covering about 4500 square meters, which has brought to light some spaces related to a thermal complex. The excavation have brought to light a public road, also, that defines the com-plex (and the entire block) on the northern side. The roadway of this urban street is parallel to the via Latina.
They are identified under the name of “Edificio Absidato” or “Temple of Diana” the ruins of a mon... more They are identified under the name of “Edificio Absidato” or “Temple of Diana” the ruins of a monument that occupies a central location in the urbanist scheme aquinate, to the Northeast of the theater and practically at the intersection between cardo and the decumanus maximus. The ruins now visible are only the smallest part (the rear) of a much larger product: it presents itself as an imposing structure in local travertine blocks, well squareed, built without lime. Just before the apse was excavated years ago, which revealed “a pavement in basoli”. For a long time the dichotomy of the news did not allow decisive identification. Two excavation campaigns (2014-2015) have highlighted multiple data, though preliminary, relating to constructive, topographical and historical aspects.
Jacobsen, J. K., G. Murro, C. Parisi Presicce, R. Raja, S. G. Saxkjær & M. Vitti 2021. "High-Defi... more Jacobsen, J. K., G. Murro, C. Parisi Presicce, R. Raja, S. G. Saxkjær & M. Vitti 2021. "High-Definition Urban Narratives from Central Rome: Virtual Reconstructions of the Past and the New Caesar’s Forum Excavations", Journal of Urban Archaeology 3: 65-86
Forthcoming in V. Nizzo (ed.), Archaeology and Anthropology of Death, Rome 2016
The case of the tomb n. 74 of the western necropolis from Aquinum, is emblematic for the topic of... more The case of the tomb n. 74 of the western necropolis from Aquinum, is emblematic for the topic of individual and membership identity of the use and reuse of the same structure. Built at the late of IV century BC, for members of the local aristocracy, the tomb was reopened in the second half of the I Century BC as a mass grave. the deads, killed perhaps after a purging event connected to the civil wars, were thrown into the tomb’s chamber when the decomposition process was already started. two pigs and a dog probably recall of expiatory sacrifices.
Boschetti, C., Di Siena, L., Jacobsen, J. K., Mittica, G., Murro, G., Parisi Presicce, C., Raja, R. & Vitti, M. (2023). “Disease control and the disposal of infectious materials in Renaissance Rome: Excavations in the area of Caesar’s Forum”, Antiquity, first view., 2023
Excavations in Rome have long focused on the early city; only recently has attention turned to th... more Excavations in Rome have long focused on the early city; only recently has attention turned to the archaeology of the medieval and later periods. Here, the authors present a rare sixteenth-century context, dating to a time when European cities contended with repeat epidemics and implemented measures to control the spread of disease. A contextual approach to the assemblage leads to its identification as a 'medical dump' of clinical equipment, including glass urine flasks and 'single-serve' ceramics, many of the latter specifically produced for the Ospedale dei Fornari. Drawing on Renaissance medical treatises, the authors argue that this material represents the disposal of potentially infected objects, shedding light on urban waste-management practices.
When Rome became the capital of a unified Italian state in 1871, the city lagged behind other Eur... more When Rome became the capital of a unified Italian state in 1871, the city lagged behind other European capitals in contemporary architectural expression. Ancient ruins evoked a distant glory, although the area of Rome containing the Imperial Fora was covered over by a dense urban residential quarter called the Alessandrino District. The quarter was labelled a slum district by fascist propaganda, and it was demolished in the early 1930s to make way for a parade avenue, the Via dell'Impero. This article presents a discussion of the cultural and socioeconomic nature of the Alessandrino District in the decades before its destruction, combining results from the Danish-Italian excavations at Caesar's Forum with a selection of archival data and historical accounts. The findings presented here indicate that a newly investigated area of the Alessandrino District was in fact not a slum district but rather a thriving middle-class residential and commercial area.
The Caesar’s Forum Project, initiated in 2017, aims at covering the entire, more than 3,000-year ... more The Caesar’s Forum Project, initiated in 2017, aims at covering the entire, more than 3,000-year chronological span of the Caesar’s Forum area. The first phase of the archaeological investigations has unearthed structures in the archaeologically under-researched Alessandrino Quarter, which was demolished to make way for Mussolini’s Via dell’Impero. This article presents the first detailed overview of the second excavation phase undertaken within the new Danish-Italian project and the new archaeological insights brought to light.
This preliminary report presents the excavation results obtained in 2021 from the Danish-Italian ... more This preliminary report presents the excavation results obtained in 2021 from the Danish-Italian investigation of Caesar’s Forum in central Rome. The project was launched in 2017 and is conducted in collaboration between the Sovrintendenza Capitolina ai Beni Culturali, the Danish Institute in Rome (DIR) and the Danish National Research Foundation’s Centre of Excellence, Centre for Urban Network Evolutions (UrbNet) at Aarhus University.
The amphitheater of Ancona is the main Roman
monument survived until today in the heart of the
to... more The amphitheater of Ancona is the main Roman monument survived until today in the heart of the town, located between the hills Guasco (north) and Cardeto (south), while the West side is leaning against imposing substructures. The building was constructed in the early imperial period, near the forum area, today beneath the Senato Square. The hard layering of this area determined an extraordinary palimpsest enclosing the ancient history of Ancona. During the last restoration of the amphitheatre (2013-2015), the necessity to acquire a complete and accurate graphic and photographic documentation of the structures, in order to reconstruct the plan, suggested to carry out a campaign of extensive surveys, photogrammetry and aerial drone photography. We made three different photographic zenithal shoots at low altitude. We also take photographs of all the walls with the use of a camera with a remote control, through a telescopic rod. With the acquisition of this complex documentation, which is an essential starting point, we shall proceed to a new and deeper reading of this complex building.
Since 2017, excavations have taken place on Caesar’s
Forum in Rome. The area holds archaeological... more Since 2017, excavations have taken place on Caesar’s Forum in Rome. The area holds archaeological evidence covering three thousand years of Rome’s prehistory and historical periods. The excavations offer wide-ranging research possibilities connected to the urban development of one of the classical world’s pivotal city centres. However, the location’s centrality also offers challenges when transforming the vast bulk and complex nature of the archaeological data into scientific publications, while also making the results accessible to the public. This article presents results from the first excavation phases within a best-practice Open Data strategy embedded into the project from its outset. The applied methods and techniques ensure that traditional, analogue scientific publications are supplemented with online access to the excavation’s raw data, high-resolution illustrations, and 3-D reconstructions obtained through laser scans and photogrammetry.
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monument survived until today in the heart of the
town, located between the hills Guasco (north)
and Cardeto (south), while the West side is leaning against imposing substructures. The building was constructed in the early imperial period, near the forum area, today beneath the Senato Square.
The hard layering of this area determined an extraordinary palimpsest enclosing the ancient history of Ancona. During the last restoration of the
amphitheatre (2013-2015), the necessity to acquire a complete and accurate graphic and photographic documentation of the structures, in order to reconstruct the plan, suggested to carry out a campaign of extensive surveys, photogrammetry and aerial drone photography. We made three different photographic zenithal shoots at low altitude.
We also take photographs of all the walls with the use of a camera with a remote control, through a telescopic rod. With the acquisition of this complex documentation, which is an essential starting point, we shall proceed to a new and deeper reading of this complex building.
Forum in Rome. The area holds archaeological evidence covering
three thousand years of Rome’s prehistory and historical periods.
The excavations offer wide-ranging research possibilities connected
to the urban development of one of the classical world’s
pivotal city centres. However, the location’s centrality also offers
challenges when transforming the vast bulk and complex nature of
the archaeological data into scientific publications, while also making
the results accessible to the public. This article presents results
from the first excavation phases within a best-practice Open Data
strategy embedded into the project from its outset. The applied
methods and techniques ensure that traditional, analogue scientific
publications are supplemented with online access to the excavation’s
raw data, high-resolution illustrations, and 3-D reconstructions
obtained through laser scans and photogrammetry.