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Roman Peasantry, Spatial Archaeology, and Off-site Survey in Hispania

  • Jesús García Sánchez
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The Archaeology of Peasantry in Roman Spain
This chapter is in the book The Archaeology of Peasantry in Roman Spain

Abstract

No one denies the importance of field surveying for the exploration of human society and long-term settlement patterns on a regional scale. However, field surveys aimed at ascertaining the impact of ancient society on the landscape and agricultural strategies are still an uncommon approach on the Iberian Peninsula. This paper aims to explore the well-known off-site record as a proxy for studying the role of Roman peasantry in the construction of landscapes, peasant economic strategies and dwelling modes, while highlighting the importance of indigenous resilience in the face of the Romanization process. In this paper I present two types of intensive survey that share concepts and methods as a model of this kind of approach to ancient rural settlement in distant parts of the Iberian Peninsula. I defend the ability of the field survey to produce historical narratives on the countryside and its inhabitants, taking critical advantage of the background provided by digital archaeology, GIS and geo-statistical analysis.

Abstract

No one denies the importance of field surveying for the exploration of human society and long-term settlement patterns on a regional scale. However, field surveys aimed at ascertaining the impact of ancient society on the landscape and agricultural strategies are still an uncommon approach on the Iberian Peninsula. This paper aims to explore the well-known off-site record as a proxy for studying the role of Roman peasantry in the construction of landscapes, peasant economic strategies and dwelling modes, while highlighting the importance of indigenous resilience in the face of the Romanization process. In this paper I present two types of intensive survey that share concepts and methods as a model of this kind of approach to ancient rural settlement in distant parts of the Iberian Peninsula. I defend the ability of the field survey to produce historical narratives on the countryside and its inhabitants, taking critical advantage of the background provided by digital archaeology, GIS and geo-statistical analysis.

Chapters in this book

  1. Frontmatter I
  2. Acknowledgments V
  3. Contents VII
  4. Introduction 1
  5. Part I: From Traditional to New Approaches: Methodological Insights
  6. Early Imperial Roman Peasant Communities in Central Spain: Agrarian Structure, Standards of Living, and Inequality in the North of Roman Carpetania 23
  7. Perceiving the Countryside: Some Thoughts on the Representation of Agrarian Cycles and Tasks in the Mosaics of Roman Spain 49
  8. Investigating Livestock Practices in the Countryside of Roman Spain: An Archaeozoological Approach 71
  9. Part II: Beyond Villascapes: Peasants in Landscapes
  10. A Peasant Landscape in the Eastern Roman Spain. An Archaeological Approach to Territorial Organization and Economic Models 91
  11. Exploring the Complexity of Roman Agrarian Landscapes. State of the Art and a Study Case from the Southwestern Iberian Peninsula 111
  12. Roman Peasantry, Spatial Archaeology, and Off-site Survey in Hispania 143
  13. Part III: Comparing Villae and Peasants Habitats in Settlement Systems
  14. On the Margins of the Villa System? Rural Architecture and Socioeconomic Strategies in North-Eastern Roman Spain 169
  15. Villae and Farms: Early Imperial Rural Settlement in the Adaja-Eresma Basin (Central Roman Spain) 201
  16. With the measure you use you will be measured back… Late Roman and Early Medieval Peasants in Central Spain on Examination 229
  17. From Villa to Village? Relational Approaches within Roman and Medieval Iberian Rural Societies 253
  18. Conclusions 277
  19. List of Contributors 285
  20. List of Figures 291
  21. Index 295
https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110757415-008

Chapters in this book

  1. Frontmatter I
  2. Acknowledgments V
  3. Contents VII
  4. Introduction 1
  5. Part I: From Traditional to New Approaches: Methodological Insights
  6. Early Imperial Roman Peasant Communities in Central Spain: Agrarian Structure, Standards of Living, and Inequality in the North of Roman Carpetania 23
  7. Perceiving the Countryside: Some Thoughts on the Representation of Agrarian Cycles and Tasks in the Mosaics of Roman Spain 49
  8. Investigating Livestock Practices in the Countryside of Roman Spain: An Archaeozoological Approach 71
  9. Part II: Beyond Villascapes: Peasants in Landscapes
  10. A Peasant Landscape in the Eastern Roman Spain. An Archaeological Approach to Territorial Organization and Economic Models 91
  11. Exploring the Complexity of Roman Agrarian Landscapes. State of the Art and a Study Case from the Southwestern Iberian Peninsula 111
  12. Roman Peasantry, Spatial Archaeology, and Off-site Survey in Hispania 143
  13. Part III: Comparing Villae and Peasants Habitats in Settlement Systems
  14. On the Margins of the Villa System? Rural Architecture and Socioeconomic Strategies in North-Eastern Roman Spain 169
  15. Villae and Farms: Early Imperial Rural Settlement in the Adaja-Eresma Basin (Central Roman Spain) 201
  16. With the measure you use you will be measured back… Late Roman and Early Medieval Peasants in Central Spain on Examination 229
  17. From Villa to Village? Relational Approaches within Roman and Medieval Iberian Rural Societies 253
  18. Conclusions 277
  19. List of Contributors 285
  20. List of Figures 291
  21. Index 295
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