Past, Present, Future: An Overview of Roman Malta

David Cardona

doi:10.1515/opar-2020-0122

Abstract

Abstract Roman Malta has been the subject of numerous historical and archaeological studies since the seventeenth century. However, the lack of documented excavations and the restricted number of sites – particularly those within the boundaries of the two main Roman towns – meant that numerous grey areas persist in our understanding of the islands under Roman rule, regardless of how many studies have been done so far. This article attempts to provide an overview of past works, studies and a discussion of the known consensus on knowledge of sites, populations and economies. This in an attempt to provide a clear picture of what we know (and what we do not) about Roman Malta. Finally, I will comment on current and new research and projects which are being carried out by various local entities and foreign institutions to enhance our knowledge of this very important historic era for the Maltese islands. This culminates into a proposal for the use of a predictive model that may help us identify new sites and, consequently, provide new data on this phase.

Highlights

Lying halfway between Sicily and North Africa, the small group of Islands of Malta has always been at a multi-cultural crossroads, resulting in a history often shaped and influenced by the people trading in and controlling the central Mediterranean
Roman Malta has been a constant within Malta’s archaeological debates but how much do we know about it? Do we have a clear understanding of what/how ‘Roman’ Malta really was? Is there anything else apart the known main towns of Melite and Gaulos and the villae sites scattered across the remaining landscape? This paper gives an overview of the data that archaeology and research work have contributed to the understanding of the cultural influences left on the Islands by the new political establishment
The recent flourish of new projects on Roman Malta will enable us to add new pieces to the puzzle; but considerable lacunae will inevitably remain. These ongoing projects, and an ongoing doctoral research project on the Phoenician to Late Roman cemeteries around the ancient city of Melite, give rise to an important question: can we identify a pattern between Roman sites and other features around them that may eventually lead to the creation of a predictive model through which we can identify new sites and, in turn, help us understand the Roman landscape?

Summary

Introduction

Lying halfway between Sicily and North Africa, the small group of Islands of Malta has always been at a multi-cultural crossroads, resulting in a history often shaped and influenced by the people trading in and controlling the central Mediterranean. The islanders were able to develop their own identities, as best seen in the famous megalithic temples constructed between the 4th and 3rd millennia BC – structures unique in their shape, size and (building) technique (Cardona, 2003). This is certainly the case for the Roman culture. This paper gives an overview of the data that archaeology and research work have contributed to the understanding of the cultural influences left on the Islands by the new political establishment. Mediterranean During the Roman Period, edited by Davide Tanasi, David Cardona, & Robert Brown

The ‘Accepted’ Consensus on Roman Malta – Textual and Archaeological Sources

Early Explorations in the Archaeology of Roman Malta

Current Studies on Roman Malta

Sites and Their Whereabouts: A Proposal for Future Studies

Conclusion