The Roman City of Altinum, Venice Lagoon, from Remote Sensing and Geophysical Prospection

A Roman city, Altinum, once flourished in the Venice Lagoon, serving as a significant harbour during the Iron Age and Roman periods before being abandoned in the early Middle Ages. Recent geophysical prospection, integrating vertical multispectral and oblique aerial images with advanced techniques like magnetic gradiometer mapping, ground-penetrating radar, and frequency-domain electromagnetics, has uncovered its urban landscape with remarkable precision—locating structures with an error margin of less than 0.5 meters. The study revealed preserved floors and foundations of Roman buildings and infrastructures at depths of 0.5 to 2 meters, suggesting a city re-organization between the second half of the 2nd century and the end of the 1st century BC. Eight distinct districts were identified, each with public, residential, or productive functions, while monumental buildings likely served as nautical signals for ships navigating the Adriatic Sea along this otherwise monotonous coast.

Mozzi, P., Fontana, A., Ferrarese, F., Ninfo, A., Campana, S., & Francese, R. (2015). The Roman City of Altinum, Venice Lagoon, from Remote Sensing and Geophysical Prospection. Archaeological Prospection, 23(1), 27–44. Portico. https://doi.org/10.1002/arp.1520