Isobel Pinder

Muro ducta colonia: the relationship between walled circuits and colonies in Roman Italy

Supervisor: Professor Simon Keay

Abstract:

This presentation looks at one aspect of my research on Augustan city walls in Italy. It examines whether there was a requirement or expectation that cities of colonial status would construct walls around their perimeter. It also considers whether the association between colonies and walls, and the reasons for this relationship, changed over time. Conversely, there are a small number of non-colonial urban centres in Italy which built city walls in the Augustan period. The presentation considers what circumstances may have led them to do so. Issues of how to reconcile available evidence and its reliability, including epigraphic, archaeological, textual and architectural sources, are addressed.

email: irp103@soton.ac.uk