Abstract:

This is a summary of the first results of the Ager Tarraconensis project and the contributions to the symposium, plus conclusions and new ideas concerning the environmental study of the entire area of the Roman city and the landscape taken as a whole system. The contributions focus on the variety of the first Roman territorial control strategies, the typologies and evolution of sites, economic aspects and population dynamics. All this refers especially to Tarraco, although many comparisons are made with other regions in the Catalan area, Saguntum and other Roman provinces. Tarraco emerges as a very productive city territorium, not only in agriculture, but also in industry, textile manufacture and the exploitation of resources such as stone and iron. It also had a very active trade that turned it into a major port in the western Roman Mediterranean. The hierarchy of rural sites is proving to be more complex as we learn of new settlements. Developments subsequent to the Roman period have also come under discussion, especially focusing on the Islamic period. It was discussed whether the Camp was deserted or not, an issue that was positively resolved by the pollen diagram undertaken as part of the project.