Abstract:

The presence of elements or concepts related to the Roman-Italic cultural tradition in late Iberian contexts has been traditionally considered as a reflection of the high level of “romanization” reached by indigenous populations. Thus, they would have quickly incorporated the new technical innovations to several aspects such as construction, sometimes after developing some necessary adaptations to fit the native standards. However, the re-reading of those items in the contexts not from a formalist and quantitative point of view but in a qualitative and complementary way, allows to put forward the implication of Roman-Italic individuals in the planning, building and use of the architectonic spaces in some “Iberian” settlements, instead of giving the initiative to the “romanized” native element; different modalities could be traced within those initiatives: the continuity of use of Iberian techniques, the creation of spaces with a wholly Italic conception or the continuity of use of the spaces and buildings which, from an Iberian viewpoint, would have lost their original function. There would be, then, a process of practical assumption and symbiotic use of parts of the “Iberian” cultural complex by Roman-Italic elements settled and deployed over the provincial territory.

http://151.12.58.75/archeologia/bao_document/articoli/7_BELARTE_ET_AL.pdf