Abstract:

Principal objective of the research was studying Roman landscapes with the
combinatory analysis of environmental, geomorphological data and with soft
computing applications such as GIS and algorithms, designed specifically for
archaeological purposes. The identification and the modeling of the possible
Roman cadastral systems via traditional methodological approaches comprised a
vital stimulus for the technological oriented approaches. Geomorphological
analysis of the landscape along with the implementation of the algorithm
strengthens the reliability of the output models and provides significant
information for the palaeoenvironment. Modelling the spatial organisation of the
Roman landscape in the area of Beziers (south France) pre-supposes a
combinatory study of the physicogeographical, the geomorphological, the
geological and the archaeological characteristics of the area. Signifying the land
boundaries and the road network of the area during Roman period indicates a
straight forward human intervention on the landscape. Though, studying modern
landscape’s environmental settings may hinder conclusions about earlier periods
of use of the area, unless environmental data, to be added in the model, is
evaluated in advance. Considering that the data collected and mapped nowadays
may not be found in situ, emphasis is placed in the potential displacement of the
archaeological data to be input in the Roman cadastral models. In conjunction
with the geomorphological analysis of the data, an erosion model, based on
Fractals philosophy, has been also developed assessing the consistency of data
used to derive possible models of Roman cadastres.