Abstract:

The Ager Tarraconensis Project (PAT) has studied an area of the Baix Camp region, focusing on landscape studies. An evaluation of sites of military importance has shown that, within the PAT area of study, visual control points from Iberian times did not survive into the Roman era. The Romans set up military control points next to the main towns from the Iberian era, as well as some strategic points on the coastal hills. The structure of the countryside’s population also underwent a radical change in the 2nd and 1st century BC, together with a totally new division of agricultural land. A study of how water was managed has provided important findings for the countryside. It has been deduced that the significant linen production industry mentioned in various sources was located on the banks of the River Francolí due to the location of bleaching grounds in this area. The irrigation channels that brought water via dams on the Francolí River and the rivercourse of Maspujols fed pottery industries, crops and installations of baths and fountains for the villas. In summary, these were very significant changes in the subsequent evolution of the landscape at the Camp de Tarragona.