| Traditional interpretations of the use of space in Roman cities emphasize the random distribution of buildings with various functions across the urban landscape. This dissertation challenges the current view, arguing that space at the Roman urban site of Empúries was highly structured. Empúries, the site of a Greco-Roman city, is located north of Barcelona on the Spanish Mediterranean coast. It has been extensively excavated since 1908, and many of the field campaigns were well documented, thus providing a particularly good example for a case-study of Roman urbanism. Using a Geographic Information Systems computer program that allows for the linking of a database of all published artifacts from the site to digitized maps of all the site's structures, it is possible to assign functions and periods of use to every structure and generate maps of the distribution of uses of space across the city at different periods of time. These maps are analyzed to search for patterns in uses of space in relation to three variables: visibility, clustering/dispersion, and access. Visibility proved to be an unimportant factor in the location of structures in the city. Few buildings could be seen from very far away, including temples and villas, structures which are traditionally believed to have had a high visibility in Roman cities. Clustering/dispersion proved an important factor as public uses of space were found to be located together while elite domestic structures had a pronounced tendency to be separated. Access was important as well. All categories of public space and some categories of private space appeared associated with streets that were easily accessible from city gates and that served to integrate the city's street network. Industrial and non-elite domestic spaces were located on streets that were more difficult to access. Finally, the dissertation asserts that the commonalities in the placement of structures with particular uses in the city represent social norms that formed the basis for a process of negotiation, or dialogue, among all of the city's constituent social groups. By identifying these norms, one can identify each group's needs for the use of space. |
