Archaeologists Discovered 57 Ancient Roman Settlements—and Mapped Out a Hidden Empire
A research team from the University of Cadiz investigated the middle valley of the Guadalete River in the hopes of finding Roman history.
The team relied largely on multispectral cameras and LiDAR technology to discover 57 Roman-era sites, and has started on-the-ground research into some of the settlements.
Along with plans to further investigate settlements, the team hopes to understand how the region’s trade routes were interconnected.
Researchers from the University of Cadiz decided it was time to scour the middle valley of the Guadalete River in search of Roman history. They found plenty, and there will be plenty more work where that came from to understand how it all links together.
The research team, led by Macarena Lara, began their project in 2023 in the hopes of finding Roman settlements. They were also eager to understand any potential links between multiple finds. In the end, they discovered 57 Roman-era sites of “unprecedented nature,” according to a translated statement from the school.
To kick off the search, the team used unmanned aircraft equipped with sensors—specifically, multispectral cameras and LiDAR (light detection and ranging)—to more quickly process loads of data without encroaching on the area they were surveying. From there, the team added geo radar to help define wall and settlement layouts not visible on the surface.
With the 57 new sites located—and the team mapping out how they link together through trade and communication routes—the second phase started in earnest this past spring. The ground investigation effort also helped bridge the gap between decades-old findings and modern-day technology. The team was able to formally catalog previously cited finds from the 1980s and 1990s that hadn’t been investigated further after their discoveries, adding even more new sites to our understanding of the patchwork of the Roman presence in the river’s valley.
The first site the team focused was a Roman villa in Bornos, which included walls delineating both residential and work zones within the settlement. This marks the first time that a Roman settlement has ever been comprehensively analyzed in this environment, according to the scholars.
“The data we have has allowed us to generate a solid base of archaeological information and documentation to continue with research in the coming years in this environment,” Lara said in a statement. “Our main objective is to continue carrying out excavations and surveys with non-traditional techniques and tools that will be completed with the study of the contexts found, as well as analyze techniques on the documented materials that will allow us to obtain a holistic vision of the Roman settlement and the territory in the area around the Bornos and Arcos de la Frontera reservoirs.”
Work is ongoing, with an interdisciplinary team on the ground identifying and cataloging the archaeological materials unearthed at the villa. The team believes that the effort will help them “better understand the fundamental aspects of these sites located in the mountain region and relationships at different levels with other sites.”
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