Crustumerium : Characteristics of a Frontier Settlement
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Angelo Amoroso Crustumerium : Characteristics of a Frontier Settlement Introduction I have defined Crustumerium as a ‘frontier’ settlement. This is an incorrect term if used in the modern meaning of «demarcation line, separation, obstacle, boundary». In fact, we must not consider an ancient ‘frontier’ – in our case the course of the Tiber – exclusively as a physical element which separated and distinguished those who lived on the opposite banks of the river 1. I would like to return to some aspects relating to the geographical position and characteristics of a Latin centre the study of which was published together with Francesco di Gennaro and Andrea Schiappelli, with reference to the Early Iron Age 2, in order to update the picture published at the time. Recent data has made it possible to ascertain how the Early Iron Age at Crustumerium is not just documented mainly by surface survey material. Excavations undertaken within the settlement 3 and on the necropolis of Monte Del Bufalo 4, confirm that there are no known ma- terials from the proto- urban centre that are earlier than sub-phase IIB2 of the Latium cul- ture. To date there are no attestations of the Fig. 1 – The territory on both sides of the lower Tiber valley, between the Aniene, lake Mart ignano fosso della Bufala, the Monti Lucretili and Tibutini. Main PF2 centres, settlement limits (red) (drawing by Author). 1 COLONNA 1986; TORELLI 2003. 2 DI GENNARO ET ALII 2002, 162–176. 3 BARBARO ET ALII 2008. 4 BELELLI MARCHESINI 2008; DI GENNARO , BELELLI MARCHESINI , in these conference papers. Bollettino di Archeologia on line I 2010/ Volume speciale F / F6 / 1 Reg. Tribunale Roma 05.08.2010 n. 330 ISSN 2039 - 0076 www.archeologia.beniculturali.it/pages/pubblicazioni.html 1 A. Amoroso - Crustumerium : Characteristics of a Frontier Settlement Fig. 2 – Proto-urban centres in south Etruria (blue) and Latium Vetus (red). A comparison between settlements (drawing by Author). Final Bronze Age and the initial period of the Early Iron Age. Crustumerium’s characteristics can be fully understood by placing it within the territorial context examined as a whole, where the main ethnic groups in the lower Tiber valley (Etruscans, Latins, Sabines and Capenites) faced each other. On the right bank of the great river the ‘proto-Etruscan’ population was con- centrated in the vast proto-urban centre of Veii from the beginning of the Early Iron Age onwards. By contrast the territorial or- ganisation on the left bank only changed radically with respect to the settlement organisation in the Final Bronze Age during the course of the later part of the Early Iron Age (fig. 1) 5. Moreover, on the left bank of the Tiber no less than eight centres of varying size (C rustumerium , Fidenae , Nomentum , Marco Simone Vecchio, Mon- tecelio, Tibur , Cretone and Colle Lupo) are attested beginning in the IIB-III periods of the Latium culture. Amongst these the medium-large settlements ( Crustumerium and Fidenae ) (fig. 1) stand out. They are comparable to other proto-urban centres in ancient Latium ( Gabii , Lavinium , Ardea and Antium ) and in some ways with the larger centres of Rome and south Etruria (figs. 2-3) 6. Veii Caere Tarquinia Vulci Roma Gabii Crustumerium Ardea Lavinium Fidenae Antium Satricum Tibur Nomentum 0 50 100 150 200 250 Fig. 3 – Proto-urban centres in south Etruria (blue) and Latium Vetus (red) in the PF2 period. A comparison of size (in hectares). 5 This article makes a particular analysis of the territory between the rivers Tiber and Aniene, the Fiora torrent (or della Bufala) and the slopes of the Monti Lucretili and Tiburtini, where the Latium Apennines begin. 6 AMOROSO 2008. Bollettino di Archeologia on line I 2010/ Volume speciale F / F6 / 1 Reg. Tribunale Roma 05.08.2010 n. 330 ISSN 2039 - 0076 www.archeologia.beniculturali.it/pages/pubblicazioni.html 2 XVII International Congress of Classical Archaeology, Roma 22-26 Sept. 2008 Session : Crustumerium : I Latini tra Etruschi e Sabini Proto-urban development in South Etruria and Latium Vetus In south Etruria and Latium Vetus the birth of proto-urban centres during the course of the Early Iron Age also determined a revolution in the territorial organisation. The ‘polycentric’ settlement system of the Bronze Age gave way to the ‘monocentric’ system typical of the Iron Age, when each territorial sphere was controlled by a dominant centre. This dynamic was probably the result both of a territorial division deriving from conflicts between earlier settlements of the Final Bronze Age and Early Iron Age, and from an ‘ethnic’ administration of the territory. The proto-urban centres grew up out of a different need on the part of the community to control and manage the territory 7. The small parcels of land present within the proto-urban centres were not sufficient to satisfy the entire community’s needs (extensive cultivations and specialised stock-raising, hunting, availability of raw materials such as: water, wood, building materials etc.). Therefore, a proto-urban centre presupposes the existence of a corresponding ‘proto-ager ’, the control of which was one of the fundamental elements of the proto-urban centre itself. It was the beginning of new modes of control, management and above all of exploitation of the territory based on a dual system: the large inhabited centre and the land surrounding it. The first existed in function of the second, within the sphere of a landscape that would lead to the urbs-ager system which would fully mature in the late archaic period with the widespread occupation of the territory through farms and villae 8. During the later part of the Early Iron Age there was also a radical reorganisation of the territory on the left bank of the lower Tiber. The Latins reacted to the ‘Villanovan revolution’ which saw the birth of the first proto-urban centres on the Tiber’s right bank. The Latins took up position on the left bank and occupied ex novo or considerably reinforced strategic sites. Latin centres such as Rome, Fidenae and Crustumerium , became proto-urban centres with the function of controlling crossing points on the Tiber. These centres intercepted ‘inter-regional’ traffic and exploited the advantages deriving from it. Thus the Latins, with a targeted project, controlled strategic points and concentrated the majority of their population in proto-urban centres, «veri e propri ‘motori’ della produzione e della distribuzione delle merci» 9. In the Early Iron Age the Tiber constituted a physical element that should not be considered as a demarcation line between opposing blocks. Furthermore, whilst the ‘proto Etruschi’ perceived the Tiber as a border, on the contrary the Latins, who «conservano un concetto assai fluido della propria territorialità» 10 , living in a densely populated area, seemed to exercise an erosion of the territory occupied by the inhabitants of the opposite bank. In particular Fidenae faced the territory of Veii (at the height of the fosso della Valchetta) and controlled part of the course of the river Aniene, which formed another strong physical boundary. Fidenae off set the presence of Antemnae , a secondary centre situated on the opposite bank which was soon to come under the influence of Rome 11 . Crustumerium also faced Veii ’s territory, but from the Early Iron Age was intent on the control of the alluvial plain below. The territory of Crustumerium reached as far as the area under the influence of the enclave of Capena , where the Tiber could be easily crossed at the height of Ponte del Grillo 12 . Crustumerium constituted the northern bastion of the Latins and bridgehead in the direction of the Sabine and Faliscan territory, across the territory of Capena 13 . 7 PERONI 1988; 2000. 8 CARAFA 2004; CARANDINI ET ALII 2007. 9 GUIDI 2003, 46. 10 COLONNA 1986, 94. 11 PACCIARELLI 2001, 124. 12 DI GENNARO ET ALII 2007, 135–144. 13 For a synthesis regarding Faliscan and Capenate territory cf. COLONNA 1974, 91–92; 1988, 520–524; MAETZKE 1990; AA.V V. 1995; CIFANI 2003, 180–182 with bibliography. Bollettino di Archeologia on line I 2010/ Volume speciale F / F6 / 1 Reg. Tribunale Roma 05.08.2010 n. 330 ISSN 2039 – 0076 www.archeologia.beniculturali.it/pages/pubblicazioni.html 3 A. Amoroso - Crustumerium : Characteristics of a Frontier Settlement Fig. 4 – Crustumerium . The range of hills on which the settlement stood. Present state (aerial photograph: Google Earth). The situation outlined for the Early Iron Age was soon to be shattered by the voracious expan- sionism of Rome – intent on en- larging its own territory, which was initially limited with respect to the area occupied by the vast proto- urban centre (over 200 hectares) 14 – and by the successive incur- sions of the Sabines. Only in the historic period did the latter react to Latin pressure, exercised in the area under examination during the course of the Early Iron Age, creating on the right bank of the Tiber the territorial ‘wedge’ which made the Faliscans the «‘fratelli separati’ dei Latini» 15 . Crustumerium: the characteristics This section will highlight the characteristics shared by Cru- stumerium with the main Latin centres and the characteristics di- stinguishing it from the centres along the course of the lower Tiber, including Crustumerium , which have been defined as ‘frontier’ settlements. Common characteristics: Morphological characteristics The uplands of Crustumerium , which are part of the system of the Sabine volcanic zone 16 , have suffered heavy erosion effecting the vertical stratification of the ancient deposits and the lines and profiles of the hills (fig. 4). Landslides have occurred on the north-western and north-eastern slopes of the settlement, where the original morphology appears greatly altered. This is a range of rolling hills with an irregular profile that is well provided with natural defences.