Late 4th Century BC Research Articles

Scythian Dagger from Pilyugino village (South Urals) with Zoomorphic and Ornamental Hilt Decorations

The article publishes information about a series of daggers of the Scythian period from the Urals with zoomorphically decorated and patterned grips. They fit into a series of iron blades with similar decorations. This series has eastern origins, but is closely connected with the Southern Urals. Twelve daggers discovered in different years in the Southern Urals are distinguished by both a unified artistic program for the decoration of iron daggers and swords, and labour-intensive manufacturing. The hilts of the daggers bear heraldic schemes combining predators, traditional Scythian mythology and a unified visual tradition. This series of weapons belongs to the Filippovka cultural horizon of the 5th–4th centuries BC. The author considers this series of blades to be inherent in the Scythian culture and in no way connected with the culture of the historical Sarmatians. This culture formed in the Urals of the 6th–4th centuries BC. It is interpreted as a Scythian phenomenon that existed in the region until the late 4th century BC. In the historical context it can be identified with the culture of the so-called “deposited Scythians” of Herodotus. Chance finds of daggers may mark trade routes along the edge of the steppe zone along which caravan roads passed. These routes were controlled by the Scythian nomads. They used swords and daggers for ritual ceremonies (prayers to the god of war, or commemoration of fallen heroes, etc.). In such ritual places along trade routes, daggers were left behind, which explains why “accidental” finds of Scythian swords and daggers are so frequent in present days.

Review of Hieratic Ritual Books of Pawerem (P. BM EA 10252 and P. BM EA 10081) from the Late 4th Century BC


 
 
 The Hieratic Ritual Books of Pawerem (P. BM EA 10252 and P. BM EA 10081) from the Late 4th Century BC. By Ann-Katrin Gill . 2 vols. Studien zur Spätägyptischen Religion, vol. 25. Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz Verlag, 2019. Pp. xvii + 1075. €248.
 
 

Эллинистическая усадьба близ античного города Порфмий в Восточном Крыму

This paper is devoted to a small ancient rural house situated to the east from the Bosporan town of Porthmion. The excavations of the farmhouse were conducted in 1988 under the direction of L. B. Kircho according to the plan of field investigations of the Porthmion Group of the Bosporan Archaeological Expedition of the Leningrad Branch of the Institute of Archaeology (LOIA) AS USSR (now the Institute for the History of Material Culture of the Russian Academy of Sciences). Despite the fact that the building remains of the complex were preserved only fragmentarily, the investigations conducted have allowed the researchers to reveal a new interesting object — a Hellenistic farmhouse founded in the late 4th century BC in the immediate proximity to the ancient town and, probably, used until the mid-1st century BC.

Novajidrány–Sárvár-Erdészház : A Celtic Cemetery at the Foothills of Cserehát, Hungary

At the end of the 4th century BC, and the beginning of the 3rd century BC a Celtic population wave reached the eastern parts of the Carpathian Basin, including Northeastern Hungary. The elements of the funerary rite and the archaeological finds attest to the presence of the newly arrived communities in the cemeteries of the region. The present study serves as a preliminary report on the research results of a Celtic cemetery in the Hernád valley excavated in 2019. The site of Novajidrány–Sárvár-erdészház was in use between the late 4th century BC the earliest and the 3rd century BC and it fits well into the row of Late Iron Age cemeteries in the region. Both cremated and inhumated burials were documented with richly accompanied metal and pottery grave goods. Appearing next to the typically La Tène-styled finds, the graves also contained – mainly in the ceramic assemblages – Scythian-influenced forms which can be explained by the Celtic and Scythian cohabitation in the region during the Late Iron Age.

Representations of birds in Etruscan art (6th - late 4th century BC)

From at least the Iron Age up to the Hellenistic period, the Etruscan culture flourished in a large portion of the Italian peninsula, extending from the Po delta and the eastern Alps in the north to Campania in the south. It was characterised by a magnificent and original artistic production that took its inspiration from aspects of the natural environment inserted into mythological contexts of various origins. In Etruscan art, birds occupied a significant place, and were often represented in wall paintings and craft objects. Species still occurring on the Italian mainland, such as swans, ducks, grouse, and partridges, as well as possibly exotic taxa, domestic forms (chickens and pigeons) and other unidentifiable birds were the subject of artistic inspiration. They were depicted not only in purely cult contexts, but also in the backgrounds of naturalistic landscapes.

New research in the sacred zone of the Fabrika Hill in Nea Paphos, Cyprus

New research in the sacred zone of the Fabrika Hill in Nea Paphos, Cyprus
 The rocky hillock of Fabrika in the north-eastern most part of ancient Nea Paphos, founded during the late 4th century BC, is of key importance for understanding the early phase of the town planning, but at the same time very difficult to be methodically explored. Both its eminent location and geology made it a natural source of building material throughout the ages, greatly hindering any accurate reconstruction of the site development. However, the data collected so far strongly suggest that the arrangement of the southern part of the hill was of a cultic nature. Therefore, on undertaking a joint project with Université d’Avignon, we decided to focus the research on the southern part of the hill where, near the top of an Early Hellenistic theatre, there are rock-cut outlines of atemple possibly devoted to Aphrodite Paphia. During two seasons of field work (2018-2019), we retrieved some important information regarding both an original Hellenistic arrangement of the sacred area and its later (Late Roman/Byzantine and Medieval) use. Some new observations were also made regarding the topographical details of the area.

An Unusual Fabric from Jety-Asar-2, Eastern Aral Sea Region, in the Context of the Central Asian Textile Tradition

We present the results of an interdisciplinary study of an unusual sample of wool fabric, found at the Jety-Asar-2 fortifi ed site, representing the Jety-Asar culture of the late 4th century BC to early 1st century AD, in the central Turan Plain. We outline the results of the analysis of the dyes and technological characteristics of the fabric. The woven pattern is described in detail. The specimen is compared with the tapestry from Shanpula (Sampul) cemetery in the Hotan oasis, Xinjiang, China. We examine the idea that the Jety-Asar fabric had been manufactured in Shanpula and transported to the Aral basin along the Great Silk Road. Previously, this type of tapestry was believed to have been used only in the Hotan oasis, because no direct parallels with other areas were known. A direct parallel with such a remote westerly region is all the more intriguing. Apparently, colorful strips of woolen tapestry depicting animals, birds, humans, fantastic beings, mountains, and fl owers were in big demand. The tradition, then, may have been distributed much more widely than previously thought. Many anthropomorphic, zoomorphic, plant, and purely decorative motifs have numerous parallels in the Early Iron Age art of the Eurasian steppes, highlands, and piedmont areas. The Shanpula people used such fabric for decorating skirts. In other cultures, it was destined for various purposes.

SCYTHIAN BARROWS BETWEEN CHMYREVA MOHYLA AND HAIMANOVA MOHYLA (northern steppe periphery of Velyka Bilozerka)

In 1970 and 1972 four Scythian Age barrows near Velyka Bilozerka village, Zaporizhia Oblast, were excavared.
 Barrow 2/1970. Two graves were discovered. One of them was totally looted. Another one was the tomb of the «archer» dated to the first half of the 4th century BC. It is notable due to the full quiver set where bronze, bone, and wooden arrowheads were combined.
 Barrow 1/1972. All Scythian Age graves were looted. Despite this fact, the barrow is interesting due to the dog burial in the ditch. Supposedly this dog had the role of the guard or guide between the worlds.
 Barrow 2/1972. It is a very noteworthy barrow. In the central grave 3 which is dated to the third quarter of the 4th century BC the unusual set of the gold appliquйs has been discovered. They have the images from the Greek mythology (Dionysus?), scenes of torment with lions and deer and scenes of opposed sphinxes, with the image of horned man. The unique masterpiece is the pendant in the shape of the female head in the high headwear (the Greek goddess Hera). In addition, in this grave the details of the heavy-armored warrior equipment: spearhead, javelin, scale armor, and bridle have survived.
 Barrow 3/1972. This late 4th century BC kurhan is interesting due to the catacomb with two dromoses. In addition, the gold appliquйs with images of the mythological creature that were interpreted as Bellerophon and Pegasus have been discovered here. Unique masterpiece is the glass intaglio with image of two fighting cocks.
 The kurhans under analyses were erected on the old trail that was known as Old Chumak Trail (branch of the Muravskyi Trail). Barrows 2/1972 and 3/1972, where most significant grave goods were found, could be interpreted as the tombs of the local kin leaders. Expressive materials show the strong impact of the Classic culture on the barbarian world in the 4th century BC.

The Scythian Kingdom in the Crimea in the 2nd Century BC and Its Relations with the Greek States in the North Pontic Region

Abstract The new data that have become available in the last two decades show that the Scythian Kingdom with its capital in Neapolis Scythica, which existed in the Crimea in the 2nd century BC, was much closer to Hellenistic states ruled by barbarian dynasties than to nomadic kingdom of the Scythians of the 4th century BC. At the same time, these data allow us to return in part to the old view formulated by Rostovtzeff about continuity between the Scythia of the 4th century BC and the Late Scythian Kingdom, which most researchers have rejected during the last thirty years. It turned out that this continuity existed at least at the ideological level, and the excavations at Ak-Kaya (Vishennoe) filled the chronological gap between the Scythian Kingdoms of the 4th and 2nd century BC. Apparently, Ak-Kaya became one of the political centres of the Scythians as early as the late 4th century BC, before the fall of “Great Scythia”, and the capital of the Crimean Scythians was located there before it was moved to Neapolis Scythica. In the formation of Late Scythian culture and the Late Scythian Kingdom with its capital first in Ak-Kaya and then in Neapolis Scythica, apart from the Scythian elements, sedentary Tauri took part, as well as probably the Greeks and the Hellenized population of the chorai of the Greek cities in north-western Crimea. A key role in changing the character of Scythian culture was apparently played by a change in its economic-cultural type and the transition from nomadic pastoralism to settled agriculture. This article proposes a new interpretation of the inscription on the mausoleum of Argotas, discovered in Neapolis Scythica in 1999. Argotas was probably not a Scythian, but a Greek, despite his Scythian name. This Bosporan aristocrat with Scythian family ties married the widowed Bosporan queen Kamasarya in the second quarter of the 2nd century BC and is mentioned as her husband in the inscription CIRB 75. He played an important role in governing the Bosporan Kingdom and in protecting it against attacks from the East. Then, most likely after the death of Kamasarya, he moved to the neighbouring kingdom of the Scythians, where he became one of the leading generals, the right-hand man of the king and the tutor to his children. After his death in ca. 130-125 BC, he received from King Skiluros unprecedented honours – a heroon in front of the facade of the royal palace was erected for him and, moreover, this was the only truly Greek building in Neapolis Scythica: it was built in accordance with the rules of the architectural order and decorated with Greek statues and reliefs, as well as a metric epitaph with numerous Homeric forms and expressions.

Horse Ammunition. From the History of a Saddle

Introduction. Horse ammunition was formed historically on a large geographical area. The most important component of it is a saddle. The ancient history of a saddle is not sufficiently investigated. It should be safely assumed that the oldest forms of seats appear together with the use of a horse for riding. We can confidently say that the appearance of the horsemen of the Cimmerians and Scythians in Western Asia in 8th – 7th centuries BC would not have been possible if there had been no such devices. There is a deep belief that horse riding in Western Asia arose under the Cimmerian-Scythian influence. Methods and materials. The presence of images of horsemen and archaeological material allow us to revisit the issue. Even on the Nimrodical relief we can trace the saddle blanket provided with breeching strap and the girth. This primitive form of soft saddle can be seen on Assyrian reliefs, where it is complemented by a breast collar. Analysis. The well-preserved saddle of the Pazyryk burial mounds, shows that in the 5th century BC a saddle becomes more complicated, paired pillows and hardwood arcs fastening pillows appear. This type of a saddle in the Asian part of the nomadic world survives until the 3rd century BC and is represented in the Terracotta Army of Qin Shi Huang. In the West, in the Scythian world, a simple coating with mounting straps exists in the 4th century BC, probably in the late 4th century BC, a wooden base – lence and pommels – appears in the Scythian saddle. Results. The archaeological material clearly indicates that a saddle was formed within the culture of Eurasian nomads in the 1st millennium BC, a rigid saddle appeared in the Scythian culture in the late 4th century BC.

The fortification wall of Chaleion

Picturesque Galaxidi, with its good harbor (eulimenos politeia) and rich nautical tradition, was constructed on the site of ancient Chaleion. The continuous habitation of the site as well as the fact that ancient stone blocks were used to build the modern harbor facilities have contributed to the extensive destruction of the ancient structures, and in particular of the fortifications. These last, which were likely founded in the late 4th century BC, are preserved in fragments among the modern city. This paper gathers the results of previous and more recent studies, mainly of a rescue nature. Its aim is to graphically reconstruct, with the greatest possible degree of accuracy, the course of the walls, and to understand the defensive function of the fortification in the context of contemporary siege operations.

A MULTI-SCALAR PHOTOGRAMMETRIC RECORDING APPROACH IN TERMEZ (UZBEKISTAN)

Abstract. This paper presents the preliminary results obtained during the 3D recording campaign carried out in 2018 by the Spanish-Uzbek IPAEB mission in the archaeological site of Termez (southern border of Uzbekistan). Ancient Termez is an important historical city within the Silk Road located in the ancient Bactria region. The archaeological work performed at the site since the beginning of the 20th century allowed a large fortified urban complex to be identified that includes other walled enclosures inside it, i.e., a Hellenistic- Seleucid fortress founded after the campaigns of Alexander the Great in the late 4th century BC, several Buddhist monastic complexes dated to the Kushan period (1st to mid-3rd centuries), and a large urban settlement dated to the Islamic period which includes the city proper or shahristan and the suburbs or rabad. After the destruction by Genghis Khan in 1220, Termez was rebuilt following a different plan. Major changes involved the movement of the pottery workshops from the rabad to the previous shahristan. The research focuses on: a) the identification, study and archaeological contextualization of ceramic production centres located in different areas of the ancient Termez from the Kushan to the Islamic period (1st to 14th centuries AD); b) the integration of the pottery workshops into the general topography of the site and c) the study of their evolution in relation to the transformation of the urban design. Since the site is currently located in a military area – close to the border area between Uzbekistan and Afghanistan –, the archaeological work is restricted to specific zones and the use of aerial devices such as drones is forbidden. However, this research requires both micro and macro spatial approaches to accurately record all the archaeological structures and to evaluate the integration and evolution of the pottery workshops into the general topography of the city. In order to fill this gap, declassified images of the CORONA satellite program were analyzed and compared to historical and archaeological data. In addition, we propose a geometrical and graphical recording and distribution system of the kilns – located in the rabad and the shahristan – and the ceramics produced and used in Termez during the period studied by means of photogrammetric techniques. The results are aimed at management through open-source 3D formats and web mapping GIS libraries combined with historical satellite information that defines the different archaeological areas.

New Insight into Hellenistic and Roman Cypriot Wall Paintings: An Exploration of Artists’ Materials, Production Technology, and Technical Style

A recent scientific investigation on Hellenistic and Roman wall paintings of funerary and domestic contexts from Nea (‘New’) Paphos, located in the southwest region of Cyprus, has revealed new information on the paintings’ constituent materials, their production technology and technical style of painting. Nea Paphos, founded in the late 4th century BC, became the capital of the island during the Hellenistic period (294–58 BC) and developed into a thriving economic center that continued through the Roman period (58 BC–330 AD). A systematic, analytical study of ancient Cypriot wall paintings, excavated from the wealthy residences of Nea Paphos and the surrounding necropoleis, combining complementary non-invasive, field-deployable characterization techniques, has expanded the scope of analysis, interpretation and access of these paintings. The results from in situ analyses, combining X-ray fluorescence (XRF) and fiber-optic reflectance spectroscopy (FORS), forensic imaging in reflectance and luminescence, and digital photomicrography, were informative on the raw materials selection, application technique(s) and extent of paintings beyond the visible. Data collected through the integration of these techniques were able to: (1) show an intricate and rich palette of pigments consisting of local and foreign natural minerals and synthetic coloring compounds applied pure or in mixtures, in single or multiple layers; (2) identify and map the spatial distribution of Egyptian blue across the surface of the paintings, revealing the extent of imagery and reconstructing iconography that was no longer visible to the naked eye; and (3) visualize and validate the presence of Egyptian blue to delineate facial contours and flesh tone shading. This innovation and technical characteristic in the manner of painting facial outlines and constructing chiaroscuro provides a new insight into the artistic practices, inferring artists/or workshops’ organization in Cyprus during the Roman period.

ARISTOCRAT?, AMAZON?, OR PRIESTESS? (Some Remarks on the Status of Women in Greco-Scythian Communities)

In the year 2000, a joint expedition from the Archaeological Museum in Odessa and the Institute of Archaeology of the Jagiellonian University in Kraków conducted excavations in a Greco-Scythian necropolis at Koshary, near the Tiligul Estuary. In a circle of tombs surrounding a Scythian barrow (no. 55), grave no. 111 (dated to the late 4th century BC) stood out with its noticeably special status. In a large niche tomb meticulously carved in the bedrock, a young woman aged Infans II / Iuvenis (i. e. 14—15 years old) was buried on a bed made from reeds and grass and covered with felt. The body was placed to grave with the head to the east, and the burial stands out from other female graves in the Koshary necropolis by an impressive set of jewellery. The set was comprised of the following: silver earrings in the shapes of the heads of Demeter and Persephone, with bronze hooks for attachment, glass beads from a string on the neck, 6 bronze finger rings (4 on the left and 2 on the right hand), and 2 round bosses or appliques made of bronze on the chest. In addition, a tray containing a portion of meat and an iron knife provided with a bone handle was placed by the woman’s head. Immediately by the tray, a set of Greek vessels was placed, consisting of a thin-walled cup-skyphos, a saltcellar, and two small handmade bowls. Four bronze rings (possibly earrings) were also found near the vessels. A leather quiver with Scythian-type arrowheads, deposited to the right from the body, is a unique element. The deceased most likely had Greek origins (buried with the head to the east), but was connected with the family / lineage whose progenitor had been the man buried in the Scythian (in terms of burial orientation) barrow no. 55. Taking into account the over-standard furnishing, the size of the tomb, careful arrangement of the burial, and the monumental size of the stone barrier closing the niche, one can certainly regard the deceased woman as belonging to a group or class of high economic status and representing local elites. Her social role seems to be hinted at by the symbolism of Demeter and Persephone featuring on the ceremonial earrings, namely that of the longing mother and daughter lured by Hades into the underworld, whose cyclical, spring-summer meetings were supposed to bless the Earth with good harvest. The deposition of a «Scythian» quiver by the body was probably meant to additionally emphasise her prestige and social status, and her role as a guardian of her kinsmen’s fortunes. The newly forming, syncretic communities developing at the fringes of civilisations were undoubtedly distinguished by a very high degree of «openness» of their social structures towards «foreign» individuals. Of crucial importance were economic objectives determining the strategy of subsistence. For the Koshary community this was first of all cereal farming, as evidenced by a significant number of grain-storing structures (suggesting an industrial scale) discovered in a settlement adjoining the necropolis. This role of the Black Sea coast as a supplier of food (cereals in particular) for Greece allowed the region to be introduced into civilizational arteries of the Mediterranean world. This is why agricultural cults and Eleusinian Mysteries became important elements of spiritual life in the region. Thus, it comes as no surprise that individuals engaged in agricultural cults (associated with the ideology of immortality and afterlife) enjoyed high prestige in the analysed community. Perhaps, such person was the young women buried in grave no. 111, with the set of exquisite jewellery including impressive silver earrings with the heads of Demeter and Persephone.

Windows of the Soul in the Worldview of Philo of Alexandria

AbstractOne of the most important paradigm shifts in the history of Greek philosophy was the ‘rediscovery’ of transcendence in the movement of Intermediate Platonism. Less than a century before the birth of Hellenism (late 4th century BC), Plato had advocated an intentional preoccupation with the life of the mind / soul, encouraging the individual to avoid being entrapped in the material limitations of life and instead discover its transcendental dimension. The conquest of Athens by the Macedonians, followed by the invasion of the Orient by Alexander the Great, set in motion sociological and cultural changes that challenged the relevance of Platonic philosophy. The transcendental vision of Platonism left the individual still struggling to find happiness in the world created by Alexander the Great. This was the context in which the schools the of Cynicism, Stoicism, Epicureanism and Skepticism challenged Platonism with their call to happiness in this world and by means of the Hellenistic dominance and the rise of Roman supremacy stirred a renewed spiritual and philosophical effort to rediscover the world beyond; that is, the transcendental world of Plato. This was Middle Platonism and the Jewish philosopher Philo of Alexandria was one of its most prolific writers. In this paper, we will examine the concept of the soul in the writings of Philo, with an emphasis on the role that the soul plays in the act of approaching God through the means of the external / material cult (Temple, sacrifices, priests, etc.). Philo offers a complex vision of the soul, one that remains critically relevant to understanding the Greek, Jewish, and Christian thought that emerged after Philo.

A preliminary study of the metallurgical ceramics from Kition, Cyprus with the application of pXRF

Cyprus is considered to be one of the main sources for copper for the Old World since the second millennium BC. Yet we are still far from fully understanding the dynamics, which govern the organization of copper production and distribution on the island. The discovery of a complex of workshops during the excavation of the sacred precinct at the site of Kition — Kathari located in south-east Cyprus led some scholars to suggest that copper ores were smelted in these workshops while others have more recently suggested that the workshops were dedicated to casting and recycling votive artifacts. In order to address this issue and to determine the nature of the metallurgical process taking place at Kition a collection of 57 metallurgical ceramics and crucible slags from the site dating from the 13th to the late 4th century BC, was analyzed chemically with the use of a handheld pXRF instrument. Also, the same technique was employed to distinguish the existence of different fabric groups in the assemblage.

Die brein soos beskou deur die Grieke en Romeine

In Ancient Egypt mummification was associated with extensive organ resection, but the brain was removed through a hole cut in the ethnocide bone. It was thus not observed as an organ. Greek writers of the 6th and 5th centuries BC originally said the brain was the seat of intelligence, the organ of sensory perception and partially the origin of sperm. The substance pneuma, originating from fresh air, played an essential role in brain function. Hippocrates initially described the brain as a double organ, covered by meninges and responsible for perception. Contemporaries like Plato, Aristotle and Diocles confirmed the findings though the latter two considered the heart to be the centre of intelligence. During the late 4th century BC, with the onset of the Hellenistic era of medicine, dissection of the human body was temporarily allowed at the medical school of Alexandria, and this led to a remarkable advance in the understanding of human anatomy and physiology under Herophilus and Erasistratus. Their excellent descriptions of the structure and function of the brain was only matched and surpassed by Galen in the 2nd century AD.

THE RECONSTRUCTION OF CULTURAL PROCESSES IN THE FOREST-STEPPE OB BASIN DURING THE EARLY IRON AGE, BASED ON THE CHRONOLOGY OF THE BYSTROVKA CEMETERY

In the last third of the 1st millennium BC, contacts between populations of northern and southern origin in the forest-steppe Ob Basin were quite intense. Over several decades, science-based dating methods such as dendrochronology and radiocarbon analysis have been used to reconstruct these processes. As a result, several key cemeteries (Kamenny Mys, Bystrovka-1–3) were shown to be rather early, implying that contacts of native tribes of the forest-steppe Ob with populations of western (Sargat) and northern (Kulai) origin during the Berezovka stage lasted longer than previously believed. They began no later than the early 3rd or even the late 4th century BC.

Epiphytic Diatom Communities on Sub-Fossil Leaves of <i>Posidonia oceanica</i> Delile in the Graeco-Roman Harbor of Neapolis: A Tool to Explore the Past

The Graeco-Roman harbor of Neapolis (Naples, Italy), chronologically constrained between the late 4th century BC and the 6th century AD, offers a unique sight on relationship between past and present into the history of the marine biodiversity. In fact, the digs expose fossil leaf of Posidonia oceanica with epiphytic communities of microorganisms. Posidonia oceanica is a seagrass endemic to theMediterraneanthat forms large meadows whose remains can persist in the sediment for thousands of years. In this communication, we report results of analyses carried out using both molecular and morphological techniques on sub-fossil leaves of P. oceanica and their associated epiphytic communities.

The natural and cultural landscape of Naples (southern Italy) during the Graeco-Roman and Late Antique periods

The landscape around the Graeco-Roman town of Neapolis was reconstructed through morphostratigraphic methods and pollen analysis of the sediments filling the bay hosting the ancient harbor. This was discovered in 2004 thanks to excavations for two new lines of the Naples metro network; the harbor's sedimentary record spans the period between the late 4th century BC and the 6th century AD. The main changes occurring in the marine and terrestrial landscape surrounding the ancient town are highlighted through the reconstruction of a detailed geological cross section and four 3D palaeogeographic models. Pollen analysis suggested the presence of mixed oak woods on the slopes surrounding the town and of vegetable gardens around the harbor area. The tree crops mainly consisted of walnut, and to a lesser extent chestnut and grapevines. The horticultural varieties were dominated by Brassicaceae, most likely representing cabbage cultivation which was rather common in Roman times. Comparison with reference pollen material reinforces this hypothesis. During the 3rd century AD a drastic decrease in horticultural activity, in concurrence with an increase in wild vegetation and tree crops, suggest reduced maintenance due to a phase of abandonment. Historical data imply for the same period a phase of economic and social decline which involved the whole Empire. From the end of the 3rd century AD, the growth of a spit bar at the port entrance gave rise to the establishment of a lagoon and then to the final closure of the bay.