Beyond Abandonment: Diachronically Mapping the Transformation of Domestic Sites in Rome and its Environs (1st-7th centuries CE)

Abstract

This article presents some preliminary findings on the transformation and abandonment of domestic sites in and around Rome from the 1st to 7th centuries Common Era (CE). I utilize an innovative interactive map developed in Unity to showcase 46 sites in the study area, devising a methodology that draws upon the stratigraphic record of human activities in charting the trajectory of ancient houses over time. This contrasts with the standard approaches used over the last few decades, which have focused almost entirely on key moments of architectural and decorative remodelling, underemphasizing the constant and diachronic nature of change in domestic environments. My findings highlight the need to reassess conventional narratives surrounding the "end of the Roman house". Based on the data in this study, the Roman house emerges as more variable and less programmatic than often acknowledged, including in periods predating Late Antiquity. Future work is planned for presenting the full results of the research introduced in this paper, including those related to the application of game engines for mapping archaeological data from household excavations.