The spatial organization of economic activities in Roman Italy: an integration of non-invasive and invasive archaeological research and written evidence (300 BC - AD 300) 

My central objective is to conduct a topographical analysis of economic activities within Roman cities in Italy through the use of an integration of non-invasive and invasive archaelogical methods. I aim to investigate how commercial building (e.g shops, warehouses, market, buildings)and production buildings (e.g. fulleries,workshops) were spatially organized and whether Roman cities were subjected to a deliberate planned or organically grown economic functional zoning during their urbanization. I will use an interdisciplinary historical archaeological approach, in which epigraphy and ancient written sources from the documentary framework. My research will be highinterdisciplinary historical-archaeological approach, in which ipigrapraphy and ancient written sources form the documentary framework. My research will be highly innovative and challenging because of the use of urban survey, an integration of a wide set of non invasive techniques, surface-, geophysical-,topographical survey and aerial photography, to conuct a comprehensive study on the spatial organization of economic activities. I will shed light on remarkable -partly unpublished- results of five case studies in Italy, the towns of Falerii Novi, Interamna Lirenas,Aquileia,Aquinum and Trea. My research responds and contributes to international debates on the relationship between urbanization and economic development in the Roman world by empowering the methodological approach with original archaeological study and expanding the geographical focus beyond the atypical sites of Pompeii and Ostia.