Abstract:

This contribution deals with the study of ancient agrarian field systems, land-use and the phenomenon of centuriation in the coastal plain of Empordà (northeast of Catalonia). Characterized by complex socio-environmental interactions, the Empordà coastal plain is marked by the presence of large land areas and wetlands linked to river flooding as well as that of coastal cords. Thick sedimentary contributions locally modified the topography and the shaping. The documented presence of centuriation axes around the Greco-Roman city of Ampurias raises questions about the anthropization of this environment during Antiquity. The centuriate networks show the existence of an important structuring of the territory characterized by an occupation and an exploitation of a complex environment. The results suggest that the centurial grids did not always imply extensive and generalized exploitation of the landscape. As a result, paleo-environmental data show a Roman landscape characterized by the absence of deforestation and a significant expansion of agricultural areas. These data reinforce the symbolic and representative significance of the model of centuriation.