The site of Aquileia (northeastern Italy): example of fluvial geoarchaeology in a Mediterranean coastal plain
Résumé
Archaeological and historical data show that Aquileia was one of the most important fluvial harbours of the Roman Empire. Recent databases, derived from several disciplines, highlight the presence of important waterways in the Aquileia deltaic plain during antiquity. The core deposits record the presence of high-energy river channels, at least north and east of the town. At the beginning, these courses had a generally N-S direction and probably fed the hut village of the 9th-7th centuries B.C., recently discovered in the city. Subsequently, the waterways had a NE-SW trend. The reason of this hydrographical change is linked to natural and/or artificial causes. Interaction of palaeohydro- graphy and palaeohydrology with urban development is clearly demonstrated. People are affected by river dynamics: river flooding provides "natural" hydrological constraints in the deltaic plain, to which Roman communities responded by channelising rivers to guarantee good conditions of navigability and
implementing flood protection measures and reducing hazards in these hydromorphous environments.