Satricum nel periodo di Targuino Superbo: cambiando prospettiva

Within the expansionist policy of Rome in late 6th and early 5th centuries BC, Satricum certainly occupied a prominent position. Direct evidence comes from the Lapis Satricanus, a public memorial dedicated to Publius Valerius, one of the legendary founders of the Roman Republic. Many literary references also point to Roman military interest in the Satrican region, in the end leading to the town’s destruction in 488 BC. It is perhaps no coincidence that Satricum shows intense building activities and urban development during this period. Field research since 1977 has revealed an exceptionally rich and varied archaeological record. Highlights among this record are two monumental temples with innovative terracotta roofing systems, a well-organized and laid-out acropolis, an elaborate defensive system around the city and an impressive infrastructural organization in the lower city area. These collective efforts presuppose a strong centralized authority comparable to that of Rome. This paper relates the ‘building boom’ with traditional accounts of Roman military activities in the area. Had Satricum become a satellite town of Rome? Or does the historical record have to be re-assessed?