Altinum dominated the area for at least 600 years before the Roman Empire

Jul 31, 2009 06:43 GMT  ·  By
Aerial images of the ancient city of Altinum (up) were processed by a team at the University of Padua to reveal the layout of a Roman trading center (down)
   Aerial images of the ancient city of Altinum (up) were processed by a team at the University of Padua to reveal the layout of a Roman trading center (down)

Archaeologists discovered a few years back an ancient metropolis located on the outskirts of Venice, which may very well have been the precursor of the modern city. The old trading center, which was about as large as Pompeii, most likely flourished between 100 and 500 AD, and represented a beacon of civilization in the area. It now lies completely covered in farm fields, at a depth of at least 40 centimeters below the surface. Not a single ruin has been unearthed by the research effort. Rather, its buildings' and streets' outlines have been evidenced through aerial photographs.

Before being finally included in the Roman Empire, Altinum completely dominated the region. Some researchers believe that its history may very well stretch as far back as the Bronze Age, when it was most likely founded.

Due to centuries of human activities, the city rose more than two to three meters above the surrounding lagoons over the years, but, after being deserted – most likely due to the emergence of Venice –, it was covered by water and swamps. Layers of deposits rushed in by the waves eventually covered the area, until only fertile soils remained of what was once a beacon of civilization in the area.

Working together with colleagues, geomorphologist Paolo Mozzi, from the University of Padua, in Italy, managed to snap the beautiful aerial photos of the region in 2007, when a major drought struck the land. Using various filters, he captured images of the site in several visible and near-infrared wavelengths, which revealed slight variations in the way the crops were planted. Using a resolution of 50 centimeters, the cameras were able to offer computer scientists very accurate images, which were then processed to account for subtle variations in plant  water stress.

As work progressed, the outlines of buildings in the ancient city became more and more visible. The archaeologists identified a basilica, an amphitheater, a forum, and what might have been a number of temples, at a depth of at least 40 centimeters. On the south side of the parcel that once accommodated Altinum, the experts discovered traces of what must have been a canal, a find that kept in tune with the knowledge that the Romans incorporated such systems into their cities since long ago.

“Before what Professor Mozzi has done, it was impossible to imagine the complexity and distribution of the main buildings and structures of the municipium,” Margherita Tirelli, who is an inspector of the Archaeological Superintendence of Veneto, and also the director of the National Archaeological Museum of Altinum, says in an e-mail to ScienceNow. Details of the town's outlines will be published tomorrow in the prestigious journal Science, in a paper called “The Map of Altinum, Ancestor of Venice.”