Tracing Roman Mobility in the Alps: Some Methodological Appraisals and Insights from the Tridentinae Alpes Case, Italy
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Abstract
Studies on Roman mobility are not often interested in the Alps. And even when they are, they tend to focus on general road reconstruction. This means identifying the roads mentioned in ancient Itineraria, suggesting possible routes followed and passes crossed and locating the sites of post stations on the ground. However, little attention is paid in these studies to the layout of the roads, their technical characteristics and their relationship with the natural environment. In particular, they often seem to ignore the fact that in ancient times people travelled (especially in the mountains) not only by cart but especially by walking or using pack animals. Consequently, they do not provide a complete understanding of the phenomenon of Roman mobility in the Alps. In an attempt to fill this gap, a research project (TRIALP – TRIdentinae ALpes Project) was carried out at the University of Trento, Italy, from 2021 to 2025. One of the aims of the project was to study the Roman road network in the Alpine region of Trento, known in Roman times as the Tridentinae Alpes, using a wide range of digital and field methodologies. These methods made it possible to go beyond the mere description of road paths and to explore Roman Alpine mobility from a new perspective. Using the Tridentinae Alpes as a case study, this article will therefore present some methodological appraisals and insights derived from the results obtained by the research project that may be useful for studying Roman mobility in the Alps.
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Tracing Roman Mobility in the Alps: Some Methodological Appraisals and Insights from the Tridentinae Alpes Case, Italy
In: Acta ArchaeologicaSearch for other papers by Michele Matteazzi in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Abstract
Studies on Roman mobility are not often interested in the Alps. And even when they are, they tend to focus on general road reconstruction. This means identifying the roads mentioned in ancient Itineraria, suggesting possible routes followed and passes crossed and locating the sites of post stations on the ground. However, little attention is paid in these studies to the layout of the roads, their technical characteristics and their relationship with the natural environment. In particular, they often seem to ignore the fact that in ancient times people travelled (especially in the mountains) not only by cart but especially by walking or using pack animals. Consequently, they do not provide a complete understanding of the phenomenon of Roman mobility in the Alps. In an attempt to fill this gap, a research project (TRIALP – TRIdentinae ALpes Project) was carried out at the University of Trento, Italy, from 2021 to 2025. One of the aims of the project was to study the Roman road network in the Alpine region of Trento, known in Roman times as the Tridentinae Alpes, using a wide range of digital and field methodologies. These methods made it possible to go beyond the mere description of road paths and to explore Roman Alpine mobility from a new perspective. Using the Tridentinae Alpes as a case study, this article will therefore present some methodological appraisals and insights derived from the results obtained by the research project that may be useful for studying Roman mobility in the Alps.
| All Time | Past 365 days | Past 30 Days | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abstract Views | 168 | 168 | 13 |
| Full Text Views | 5 | 5 | 0 |
| PDF Views & Downloads | 25 | 25 | 0 |
