The Archaeology of Africa in the Roman Republic

David L. Stone,

David L. Stone

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David L. Stone,

David L. Stone

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Book Editor(s):Jane DeRose Evans,

Jane DeRose Evans

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First published: 28 March 2013

https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118557129.ch32

Citations: 2

Summary

This chapter assesses medium- and long-term changes in the archaeological record of the last two centuries in North Africa through a study of three “landscapes”. It focuses on the part of North Africa containing the Republican provinces of Africa Vetus and Africa Nova, which for simplicity's sake the chapter refers to as Africa, despite the alternative designations given to it in this period. The urban, rural and mortuary landscapes that the chapter explores spaces actively constructed by individuals that allow us to examine how people conceived of their surroundings, and made changes to them through time. Africa was gradually coming under greater external control at this time, the landscape was being divided up, and individual ownership (as opposed to communal organization) was becoming more prominent.

The first detailed coverage of the Republican era in North Africa appeared in Gsell (1928). It was followed shortly afterward by Broughton (1929). Teutsch's (1962) analysis of the municipal organization of Republican Africa also covered the period in depth. While no monographs focused specifically on the period have effectively surpassed these works, numerous other studies shed light on particular areas. On the history of Carthage in North Africa, see Lancel (1995), Fantar (1984–6) and Hoyos (2003). On the Numidian kingdoms, one can consult Camps (1961a), Berthier (1981) and Horn and Rüger (1979). Lassère (1977) has written an excellent analysis of population growth in North Africa beginning in the Roman Republic. A number of studies have made important contributions to the understanding of Roman imperialism in North Africa: Bénabou (1976), Fentress (2006), Mattingly (1995, 1997).
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The long history of landscape archaeology in North Africa has contributed to the understanding of urban, rural and mortuary landscapes. The recent and comprehensive treatment of urban centers in Bullo (2002) contains references to previous work on urban landscapes. Ferchiou has written several important articles on the landscape of the Tunisian tell in the second and first centuries (Ferchiou, 1978, 1987, 1990, 1994). For rural landscapes, Fentress and Docter (2008) present an overview of the Punic period. The surface survey of Jerba produced important material concerning the agricultural development of that island during the second and first centuries (Fentress, Drine and Holod, 2009). Comparisons can be drawn to the results of the Segermes Survey (Dietz, Ladjimi Sebaï and Ben Hassen, 1995; Ørsted et al., 2000), the Lepcis Magna Survey (Munzi et al., 2004, 2004–5, 2010) and the Tunisian national archaeological maps (Ben Baaziz, 1992). The culture of the mortuary landscape of North Africa in this period is discussed in two recent articles (Ben Younes, 2007; Quinn, forthcoming). My own views on aspects of the rural and mortuary landscapes of this period can be found in three articles (Stone, 2004, 2007a, 2007b).
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Citing Literature

A Companion to the Archaeology of the Roman Republic