A Changing Cityscape in Central Italy: The Gabii Project Excavations, 2012–2018

Excavations carried out at the Latin city of Gabii between 2012 and 2018 have contributed new data to a number debates around emergence, lived experience, maintenance, decline, resilience cities. Gabii’s urban trajectories demonstrate both seemingly familiar forms urbanism and, on closer study, many locally circumscribed elements. Specifically, Project excavations uncovered an early Iron Age (8th–5th centuries b.c.) hut complex that has provided evidence for architecture, funerary rites, quotidian activities during initial polynuclear settlement urbanizing Gabii. A unique monumental constructed in 3rd century b.c. been identified is interpreted as public structure potentially used ritual activities; study this raises questions about creation reception markers civic identity. Excavation further characterized reorganizations took place first a.d., when settled area contracted. Rather than unidirectional industrial increases, elite investments persist, especially mixed-use domestic agricultural complex. These results provide detailed how ancient cities developed transformed face shifting local regional conditions, smaller centers (Gabii) periphery mega-urban (Rome).