• About
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Donation
  • Contact
No Result
View All Result
Archaeology News
  • Home
  • News
    • Archaeology
    • Anthropology
    • Paleontology
  • Academics
    • Books
    • Conferences
    • Universities
  • Articles
  • VR Tours
  • Quiz & Game
  • Download
  • Encyclopedia
  • Forum
Archaeology News
No Result
View All Result
Home News Archaeology

Interamna Lirenas: A Roman backwater town challenges assumptions about Empire’s decline

by Dario Radley
December 14, 2023

In a thirteen-year study led by Dr. Alessandro Launaro from the University of Cambridge’s Classics Faculty, a team of archaeologists has challenged prevailing assumptions about the decline of the Roman Empire in Italy.

Interamna Lirenas: a Roman backwater town challenge assumptions about Empire’s decline
A Gorgon antefix was discovered at the site. Credit: Alessandro Launaro/University of Cambridge

The focus of their research, Interamna Lirenas, a town in Southern Lazio traditionally regarded as a failed backwater, has emerged as a resilient hub that defied expectations, thriving well into the 3rd century CE.

During the Crisis of the Third Century (CE 235-284), a period marked by the Roman Empire’s near-collapse due to internal strife, barbarian invasions, and economic turmoil, Interamna Lirenas continued to flourish. Contrary to previous beliefs, the town’s decline, as revealed by an extensive pottery analysis, began approximately 300 years later than initially assumed.

Founded in 312 BCE as a Latin colonia, Interamna Lirenas gained patronage from Julius Caesar in 46 BCE. The town’s strategic location, situated between the Liri and Rio Spalla Bassa rivers, contributed to its significance. Dr. Launaro emphasizes that its position played a crucial role in consolidating support for Caesar during the civil wars.

Recent excavations, supported by magnetic and ground-penetrating radar surveys, uncovered a river port dating from the late 1st century BCE to the 4th century CE. This port, featuring a warehouse, temple, and bath complex, facilitated trade connections between key centers, such as Aquinum and Casinum to the north and Minturnae and the Tyrrhenian coast to the southeast.

RelatedStories

Roman burial of infant twins in Croatia linked to lead poisoning

Roman burial of infant twins in Croatia linked to lead poisoning

May 31, 2025
Life and death of the 'Ice Prince of Mattsies' revealed: medieval child burial found in Roman villa in Germany

Life and death of the ‘Ice Prince of Mattsies’ revealed: medieval child burial found in Roman villa in Germany

May 26, 2025

The town’s prosperity was evident in its thriving markets, public warehouses, and a livestock market for sheep and cattle, essential components of the wool trade in the region.

The team discovered a rare roofed theatre, measuring 45 meters by 26 meters, on the town’s northwestern perimeter. This refined structure, adorned with marbles imported from the central and eastern Mediterranean, served as a major status symbol, showcasing the town’s wealth and ambition.

Dr. Launaro emphasizes, “It displayed the town’s wealth, power, and ambition,” challenging the notion of Interamna Lirenas as a declining backwater.

In addition to the theatre, archaeologists unearthed nineteen substantial courtyard buildings, suggesting functions as indoor marketplaces, guildhouses, residential complexes, and public warehouses. This infrastructure reinforced the town’s role as a pivotal trading center connecting to larger hubs in the region.

The town’s endurance challenges previous perceptions of decline during challenging periods. Even as some of Interamna Lirenas’ bath complexes showed signs of decline, inscriptions revealed the community’s commitment to maintaining and improving its infrastructure. The absence of evidence indicating a violent end suggests that residents strategically abandoned the town before the Lombard invasion in the late 6th century CE.

The research, published in the edited volume Roman Urbanism in Italy, challenges scholars to reconsider the resilience of seemingly average Roman towns.

University of Cambridge


Stay updated with us! Follow us on Google News, Flipboard, Facebook, Instagram, Threads, Twitter, and Linkedin, and join our WhatsApp and Telegram channels for the latest in archaeology, all directly on your favorite platforms!
ShareTweetShareShareSend

You May Also Like...

maya-collapse-was-transformation-
Anthropology

Ancient DNA reveals Maya collapse was a transformation, not extinction

June 1, 2025
Oldest whale bone tools discovered in Europe reveal Stone Age humans used marine resources 20,000 years ago
Archaeology

Oldest whale bone tools discovered in Europe reveal Stone Age humans used marine resources 20,000 years ago

May 31, 2025
Roman burial of infant twins in Croatia linked to lead poisoning
Anthropology

Roman burial of infant twins in Croatia linked to lead poisoning

May 31, 2025
18th-century gold mourning ring unearthed in Norfolk field by detectorist
Archaeology

18th-century gold mourning ring unearthed in Norfolk field by detectorist

May 30, 2025
Three ancient Egyptian tombs unearthed near Luxor reveal secrets of New Kingdom elite
Archaeology

Three ancient Egyptian tombs unearthed near Luxor reveal secrets of New Kingdom elite

May 30, 2025
43,000-year-old Neanderthal fingerprint discovered on stone is the world's oldest
Archaeology

43,000-year-old Neanderthal fingerprint discovered on stone is the world’s oldest

May 30, 2025

Follow us


Instagram
247K

Facebook
105K

Threads
42K

LinkedIn
12K

Twitter
6K

YouTube
1K
  • Trending
  • Comments
  • Latest
Viking age DNA reveals 9,000-year-old HIV-resistant gene originating near the Black Sea

Viking age DNA reveals 9,000-year-old HIV-resistant gene originating near the Black Sea

May 18, 2025
Ancient Chinese star chart dated to 2,300 years ago may be the oldest ever, challenging astronomy history

Ancient Chinese star chart dated to 2,300 years ago may be the oldest ever, challenging astronomy history

May 17, 2025
Secrets of the mysterious Gobi wall revealed: archaeologists uncover imperial purpose behind 200-mile structure

Secrets of the mysterious Gobi wall revealed: archaeologists uncover imperial purpose behind 200-mile structure

May 28, 2025
Stunning 1,600-year-old Byzantine mosaic unveiled in the Negev Desert of Israel

Stunning 1,600-year-old Byzantine mosaic unveiled in the Negev Desert of Israel

May 27, 2025
Silver amulet unearthed in Frankfurt grave Is the oldest evidence of Christianity north of the Alps

Silver amulet unearthed in Frankfurt grave Is the oldest evidence of Christianity north of the Alps

December 15, 2024
$1 million prize offered to decipher 5,300-year-old Indus Valley script

$1 million prize offered to decipher 5,300-year-old Indus Valley script

Oldest ever genetic data from a human relative found in 2-million-year-old fossilized teeth

Oldest ever genetic data from a human relative found in 2-million-year-old fossilized teeth

A 21-year-old student successfully deciphered the first word from the Herculaneum scrolls, charred during Mount Vesuvius' eruption

A 21-year-old student successfully deciphered the first word from the Herculaneum scrolls, charred during Mount Vesuvius’ eruption

Oldest US firearm discovered in Arizona: a 500-year-old relic of Coronado's expedition

Oldest US firearm discovered in Arizona: a 500-year-old relic of Coronado’s expedition

New evidence reveals the source of mercury in the mausoleum of the first Qin emperor

New evidence reveals the source of mercury in the mausoleum of the first Qin emperor

maya-collapse-was-transformation-

Ancient DNA reveals Maya collapse was a transformation, not extinction

June 1, 2025
Oldest whale bone tools discovered in Europe reveal Stone Age humans used marine resources 20,000 years ago

Oldest whale bone tools discovered in Europe reveal Stone Age humans used marine resources 20,000 years ago

May 31, 2025
Roman burial of infant twins in Croatia linked to lead poisoning

Roman burial of infant twins in Croatia linked to lead poisoning

May 31, 2025
18th-century gold mourning ring unearthed in Norfolk field by detectorist

18th-century gold mourning ring unearthed in Norfolk field by detectorist

May 30, 2025
Three ancient Egyptian tombs unearthed near Luxor reveal secrets of New Kingdom elite

Three ancient Egyptian tombs unearthed near Luxor reveal secrets of New Kingdom elite

May 30, 2025

Archaeology News online magazine

Archaeology News is an international online magazine that covers all aspects of archaeology.











Categories

  • Academics
    • Books
    • Conferences
    • Universities
  • Articles
  • Download
  • Game
  • News
    • Anthropology
    • Archaeology
    • Paleontology
  • Quiz
  • Tours

Subscribe to our newsletter

© 2024 - Archaeology News Online Magazine. All Rights Reserved.

  • About
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Donation
  • Contact

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password? Sign Up

Create New Account!

Fill the forms below to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Add New Playlist

  • Home
  • News
    • Archaeology
    • Anthropology
    • Paleontology
  • Academics
    • Books
    • Conferences
    • Universities
  • Articles
  • VR Tours
  • Quiz & Game
  • Download
  • Encyclopedia
  • Forum

About  .  Contact  .  Donation

© 2024 - Archaeology News Online Magazine. All Rights Reserved

We use cookies to improve your experience and enable functionality and security of this site. Further detail is available in our Privacy Policy. By accepting all cookies, you consent to our use of cookies and use of data.