Besieged by the Romans more than 2000 years ago after its inhabitants rebelled against the empire, the city was so completely destroyed that it remained uninhabited for nearly two centuries.
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Researchers have excavated the remains of the ancient Roman-allied city of Fregella in modern-day Italy to understand its social and economic structure before and after its destruction in 125 BC. there are..
Recent excavations at the region's oldest villa and a Roman military camp outside the city suggest that the attack so destroyed the ancient city's vitality that the area remained uninhabited for more than 170 years.
The villa, located about 100 km from Rome, was built 80 years before the siege of Fregella around 205 BC. e., and is the oldest structure of its kind discovered in the region, archaeologists say.
Scientists discovered signs of destruction caused by the Roman attack on the villa, including a layer of fire damage, as well as fragments of pottery.
Excavations at the site provide new insights into the rural life and economic activities of the region's residents at the time, they say.
Analysis of seeds and plant remains found at the site showed that wine, fruit and grain were produced in the ancient villa complex.
The wine was intended "not only for the local market" but also for the wider Mediterranean trade "as far as Spain and France", the researchers say.
Scientists now suspect that the destruction of the site was probably intended to strike at the livelihoods of the city's residents.
The cause of the revolt remains unclear, but scholars suggest that it may have been related to the fact that the residents of the allied city demanded full Roman citizenship with full legal rights, especially in the area of land ownership.
Around the time of the revolt, Roman consuls were campaigning abroad, researchers say.
"The violent destruction caused lasting damage to the entire economy of the region. The surrounding area remained uninhabited for more than 170 years until the area was finally turned into a landfill," says archaeologist Dominik Mašek from the Leibniz-Zentrum für Archäologie.
Scientists also assessed the ruins of a Roman military camp on the outskirts of the ancient city. They discovered that the camp, built specifically for the siege, occupied an area of about 90 by 143 meters, surrounded by a rampart and a moat.
According to the researchers, this design corresponds to the Roman military strategy and siege tactics.
"This new information unites our picture of the Roman siege in 125 BC. eh," said Dr. Mashek.
Roman troops under Lucius Opimius attacked and destroyed the Latin city of Fregella, part of a series of crises that eventually led to the War of the Allies 91-87 BC. e., when all Italian allies of Rome demanded full citizenship.
The latest results reveal the extent of the destruction wrought by the Roman campaign against the Fregells and show the changes that shook the surrounding cultural landscape after the attack.