Archaeologists in Spain have discovered ancient Roman settlements that could be the site of a “hidden empire.”
The team had hoped to discover at least one settlement in Spain’s Sierra de Cádiz region when they began the project in 2023, but were surprised to find 57 Roman Empire-era sites of “unprecedented nature.”
Researchers believe that these newly discovered settlements could be connected by trade and communication routes in the region.
They are currently carrying out a second phase of research to better understand how the sites are linked, marking the first time ancient Roman settlements in the area have been comprehensively analysed.
Researchers in Spain have discovered ancient Roman settlements that could be the site of a ‘hidden empire’
The team found 57 Roman Empire-era sites of “unprecedented nature” near the middle valley of the Guadalete River
Researchers from the University of Cadiz in Spain focused on settlements in the surrounding areas of Arcos de la Frontera, Bornos, Villamartin and Puerto Serrano, which would have been interconnected by the Guadalete River, leading them to believe they were part of a hidden empire.
The team said they used ground-penetrating radar, a tool that sends radar pulses underground to detect any hidden objects.
They used ground-penetrating radar technology to locate the wall structures of ancient residences that were not visible from the surface.
In May, Macarena Lara and her team began excavating the Roman villa of El Cañuelo in Bornos in the hope of discovering the archaeological heritage of the region.
Researchers discovered that the villa had walls separating the residential area from the work area as they tried to understand how and when the middle valley of the Guadalete was populated.
They were also able to investigate other sites for the first time since they were discovered in the 1980s and 1990s, using multispectral cameras that capture images and colours not normally visible to the naked eye.
Researchers used georadar technology to locate wall structures of ancient residences that were not visible from the surface.
The Romans settled on the Guadalete River after conquering Spain in 264 BC, but researchers have yet to confirm when the newly discovered structures were built.
The researchers said these findings could help them develop a better understanding of the presence of the Roman Empire in the Guadalete River valley more than 2,000 years ago.
‘The aim is to understand the interaction between the Bay of Cadiz and the settlement of the Guadalete River depression during the Roman period, an aspect that was practically unknown until now,’ the researchers point out in their report.
The Romans settled on the Guadalete River after conquering Spain in 264 BC, but researchers have yet to confirm when the newly discovered structures were built.
“The data we have available has allowed us to generate a solid base of information and archaeological documentation to continue research in the coming years in this area,” says Lara, professor of Archaeology at the University of Cadiz, in a statement.
‘Our main objective is to continue carrying out excavations and surveys with non-traditional techniques and tools, which will be complemented by the study of the contexts found, as well as analysing techniques on the documented materials that will allow us to obtain a holistic view of the Roman settlement and the territory in the area around the Bornos and Arcos de la Frontera reservoirs.’