Roman archaeology is the study of human artifacts that have survived from the Roman period, which is thought to have begun in 753 BC with the founding of the city of Rome in Italy by the legendary twin brothers Romulus and Remus, and ended in 44 BC with Julius Caesar’s death. Roman archaeology is frequently classified as a subset of Classical archaeology, which includes the study of ancient Greece prior to the rise of Rome, as well as related societies in the European region like the Minoans and Mycenaeans. Sculptures and other artwork, as well as written records from the time period, are particularly important to cultural studies of the period. The study of money and its uses from the period, as well as any remaining architectural ruins, is equally important, though often more scarce or badly ravaged by time.
In studying the past, an archaeologist is similar to a detective in that he or she must collect as much evidence as possible about events in order to piece together a complete and accurate picture of what happened at the time. When it comes to Roman archaeology, there is a distinct advantage that is not found in many other fields of archaeological study. Though most archaeological research focuses on the material remains of past societies in order to compile an accurate archaeological record, oral history can help fill in the gaps in our understanding of past practices.
While Rome as an empire and cohesive society ceased to exist in 2011, the region upon which it was built has been continuously inhabited by descendants of the Romans, who have often continued to practice ancient cultural traditions, religious beliefs, and customs. When a past era being researched had a high level of literacy, this oral history is often more complete. Rome was a technologically advanced civilization at the time, carrying on the Greek tradition of the importance of education and learning new things.
The human culture that gave rise to the Roman world is thought to have been populated by three distinct groups of people who eventually merged into one. The Italic people were the first, and they were rural and semi-nomadic groups native to the area, with regional warrior or kingship-based territories. The Etruscans are thought to have arrived in Rome from Asia Minor, bringing with them much of the foundational art and city-planning skills that would go on to form the foundation of Roman architecture and high culture. The Greeks also populated Rome, first as a merchant class with control of the seas and later as landowners with large swaths of land. Many of Roman archaeology’s origins for mythology and establishing Rome’s historical and religious place in the world can be traced back to the Greeks.
The study of human remains and everyday implements used by people at the time also contributes to the archaeological record. As a result, much of Roman archaeology entails the excavation of buried cities and graveyards. Bones, pottery, and even the remains of fragile items such as food, pottery, and jewelry that have been preserved and fossilized can often reveal more about a culture than more elaborate and unique artifacts such as sculptures or grand halls and meeting places.
Not only because the period spanned many centuries, but also because of the size of Roman society, studying Roman archaeology is a complex and vast undertaking. At its height, Roman civilization spanned from the city of Rome in the east to the British Isles in the west, encompassing most of Europe and including rule over modern-day Egypt and Turkey. All of the various cultures that Rome came to dominate merged with the empire to some extent and are now considered part of its culture and heritage.
The Roman Empire is thought to have covered a total area of 2,509,663 square miles at its height (6,500,000 square kilometers). At 2,941,299 square miles (7,617,930 square kilometers), this is nearly the size of Australia’s entire subcontinent, which is the world’s sixth largest country as of 2011. Attempting to understand Roman archaeology for a civilization that was so large and lasted nearly a thousand years is a research project that may never be completed.