About This Project

The Roman city of Aeclanum lies beyond the shores of Naples, Pompeii and Mt. Vesuvius, in inner Campania, which in antiquity constituted the southern part of Samnium. Archaeologists theorize there may have been an economic interdependence between the Campanian plains and the mountains of Samnium. This barely excavated site will allow us to understand its economy and its far reaching impacts. We will use archaeological field and lab techniques such a remote sensing and palaeobotany.

Ask the Scientists

What is the context of this research?

Aeclanum represents a perfect site to explore broader regional questions about trade between the mountains and coastal regions, not just because of its prime location in the Apennines, but also because it is almost entirely untouched archaeologically and has never been built over. It has a long history, stretching from the pre-Roman Samnite through to the early Medieval periods. Digging at Aeclanum will give me the opportunity to work on my first archaeological dig. I have aspirations of becoming a professional archaeologist however participation in a field school is crucial to any future archaeologist. The skills I will learn on this dig will be especially unique since we will be starting the dig fresh in a barely excavated site.

What is the significance of this project?

The Apolline Project has a special interest in Aeclanum and more broadly Halpernia because the environs of Vesuvius points to a certain economic interdependence between the Campanian plains and the mountains of Samnium, thus Aeclanum works as an ideal control test. Just as Pollena Trocchia fills in gaps of our knowledge by looking at the area north of Vesuvius and post-79 AD, Aeclanum also has much to contribute to our understanding of the wider region as a whole. It is a representative site for the region, and the conclusions we draw from its excavation could have far-reaching impacts. Aeclanum is a optimal site to study trade between the mountains and coastal regions.

What are the goals of the project?

The goals of this project are first a foremost to give me the tools and training in archaeology. My research will also enable me to find out what Acelanum’s relationship is to the wider region and answer questions on the theories of economic interdependence in the are. In addition I will have the opportunity to document my experience and share our findings and what a day of field work is like with the public.

With this project I want to help in answering the archaeological questions but I also want to be a beacon and educate any other aspiring archaeologists or documentary filmmakers interested in archaeology. Archaeology is a field shrouded in mystery with my participation in this field school I hope to give my peers a better idea of how archaeology works and what we do.