Le projet urbanistique et architectural lié à la construction du forum de Trajan à Rome (106 et 113 ap. J.-C) s’inscrit dans la tradition de ceux qui l’ont précédé. Pourtant ses dimensions et les travaux colossaux nécessaires à son établissement en font un projet particulièrement exceptionnel qui a entraîné la transformation totale de l’ensemble de la zone située entre les collines du Capitole et du Quirinal. Cette étude porte sur les modalités de ce réaménagement et ses conséquences non seulement sur la zone du forum, mais également sur l’ensemble du tissu urbain de la ville. Il s’agit d’analyser ce grand programme architectural en soulignant, comment, au-delà de la réalisation de la place publique, a été conçu, autour du complexe impérial, tout un ensemble urbanistique cohérent et surtout entièrement structuré par un nouveau système de circulation complexe. Le contexte urbain avant et après la réalisation du forum sont successivement étudiés et une attention particulière est accordée aux solutions architecturales adoptées afin d’intégrer les nouvelles constructions dans le tissu urbain préexistant. L’objectif est de reconstruire chronologiquement toute l’organisation urbanistique de la zone et de déterminer dans quelle mesure la construction du forum de Trajan a conditionnée le développement de l’Urbs dans son ensemble. / The urban and architectural project related to the construction of the Trajan Forum in Rome (106-113 AD) joins the tradition of its predecessors. However, its dimensions and the colossal work needed for its creation make it a one-of-a-kind project, which caused the transformation of the whole area between the Campidoglio and Quirinale hills. This study focuses on the methods of this transformation and on its impact on the proper Forum area, and on the rest of the city’s urban texture. It is an analysis of this big architectural project, beyond the public square, with particular attention to the collection of architectural solutions and to the complicated system of paths created around the imperial complex. The urban context was analysed in parallel, before and after the completion of the Forum, in order to understand better the architectural solutions adopted, and to integrate the new buildings in the pre-existing urban context. The objective is to chronologically reconstruct the whole urban setup of the area, and to determine to which extent the construction of the Trajan Forum conditioned the development of this part of the empire-period Urbs.

The research presented in this thesis is based in the Humanities discipline of Ancient History and begins by attempting to understand the interpretation process involved in reading ancient documents and how this process can be aided by computer systems such as Decision Support Systems (DSS). The thesis balances between the use of IT tools to aid Humanities research and the understanding that Humanities research must involve human beings. It does not attempt to develop a system that can automate the reading of ancient documents. Instead it seeks to demonstrate and develop tools that can support this process in the five areas: remembering complex reasoning, searching huge datasets, international collaboration, publishing editions, and image enhancement. This research contains a large practical element involving the development of a DSS prototype. The prototype is used to illustrate how a DSS, by remembering complex reasoning, can aid the process of interpretation that is reading ancient documents. It is based on the idea that the interpretation process goes through a network of interpretation. The network of interpretation illustrates a recursive process where scholars move between reading levels such as ‘these strokes look like the letter c’ or ‘these five letters must be the word primo’. Furthermore, the thesis demonstrates how technology such as Web Services and XML can be used to make a DSS even more powerful through the development of the APPELLO word search Web Service. Finally, the conclusion includes a suggestion for a future development of a working DSS that incorporates the idea of a layer-based system and focuses strongly on user interaction.

This thesis is a comprehensive investigation of the transport containers produced in Roman Sicily over a chronological period composed of five phases: Early Roman period (30 BC–AD 100); Middle Roman period (AD 100–300); Late Roman period (AD 300–440); Vandal Perios (AD 440/535) and Early Byzantine period (AD 536/600). The research investigates the production and transportation of Sicilian foodstuffs (especially wine) from the major ports of the island to Mediterranean ports and northern Europe. The results demonstrate the wide distribution of Sicilian amphorae and their important role within the wider economy of the Roman Empire. The importance of this research lies in the fact that, despite the agricultural prosperity of Sicily in the Roman Period and its strategic topographical position, transport amphorae remain understudied especially in economic terms. In regards to typology, chronology and distribution, our current knowledge of regional containers has not reached a level comparable to that of amphorae manufactured in other territories. The key discussion focuses on the commercial dynamics of Roman Sicilian amphorae from local, regional and Mediterranean-wide perspectives. The research aims to outline the distribution trends of Sicilian amphorae, looking at the different relative quantities of each amphora type and consequently the extent to which they are present in regions inside and outside Sicily, while considering presences and absences within the more general and homogeneous context of the Mediterranean basin. The organisation of Sicilian amphora production is also tackled through the presentation of probable production sites and excavated kilns. Using these examples, the study investigates the management of production of these containers on the island. The initial data obtained by this research represents a first step in determining differences between Sicilian amphorae workshops producing amphorae — therefore trading wine — for Mediterranean export and manufacturing sites specializing in local/regional trade. Other key achievements include the creation of a new illustrated typology with profile drawings of all the amphora forms and a summary and catalogue of Sicilian amphorae fabrics. In the thesis, the results of archaeometric analysis (thin-sections) carried out on more than 120 Sicilian amphora samples, provided by numerous institutions in Sicily and abroad, are presented. These results add significantly to our knowledge of the fabric composition, manufacture technology, origin and consequently movement of these amphorae around the Mediterranean over six centuries. More generally the research shows that the study of Sicilian material culture along with archaeological evidence is essential for recording the economic dynamics of Sicily, with the intent of dispelling the stereotype that Sicily's primary role was as a grain supplier to Rome. Besides grain — widely produced and exported throughout the imperial period, as attested by ancient sources and inscriptions — the archaeological evidence clearly indicates the export of foodstuffs, especially wine, at an inter-provincial level from the 1^st until the second half of the 6^th century AD.

This thesis presents a first archaeological introduction to the study of Byzantine ports, harbours and other coastal installations in the region of Thessaly. Thessaly not only constitutes an ideal region to gain equal information for the Early- to the Late Byzantine periods, but also to compare independent regional and imperial central building activities. However, in particular Thessaly’s maritime connectivity has never been studied in detail before. As such, a first step into a terra incognita, the thesis is divided into two main sections: In order to conceptualize the study of harbour sites, the thesis first sets up a framework for the definition, understanding and interpretation of the physical features of harbours and their function and purpose. Taking into account influencing environmental conditions, such as natural, economic, social and political components, this helps to determine an accurate hierarchical model and to illustrate the interrelationship between different types and forms of harbour sites. Subsequently, comprehensive archaeological investigations around the island of Skiathos and other harbour sites in Thessaly, executed in 2012 and 2013, are set against this theoretical groundwork. In contrast to the common approach of regional studies, where a first general overview is followed by individual detailed case-studies, the opposite methodology is undertaken in order to achieve a systematic study of the Thessalian harbours and the complexity of their network system. Consequently, the collection of data starts from the analysis of a distinct area of a region and continues with the broader regional picture of primary ports, secondary harbours and staple markets. Functioning as an important junction of the Aegean shipping lanes and being involved in regional as well as supra-regional trade and port networks, focus is therefore primarily dedicated to the island of Skiathos. A joint survey project in cooperation with the Greek Ephorate for Underwater Antiquities (EEA), the 13th Greek Ephorate for Prehistoric and Classical Antiquities and the 7th Greek Ephorate for Byzantine Antiquities was initiated by the author in 2012. A number of sites, including harbour installations and other coastal infrastructures, have been detected, documented and subsequently verified by geophysical prospections, using a Sub-bottom profiler and Side-Scan Sonar, in 2013. These have allowed to draw a clear historical picture of architectural developments, port networks and changes in the socio-economic connectivity of the area. Followed by a close investigation of further harbour sites throughout the entire region of Thessaly during two field seasons between 2012 and 2013, the detailed picture gained from the Skiathos survey project is brought to a wider context. This comparison finally allows an overall picture of the history and architectural developments of harbour structures and associated coastal sites, as well as general conclusions concerning the hierarchy and port network in the region during the Early to Late Byzantine periods. This has allowed a comprehensive understanding of the growth, use and decline of various ports, harbours and staple markets within Thessaly and has important repercussions for our understanding of wider social and economic changes that were occurring during these periods, such as the rise of the church as a powerful economic institution or the increasing activities of private entrepreneurs. In this way the submerged maritime heritage of Thessaly has provided a rich new resource with which to understand the cultural dynamics of the region as it emerged from its peripheral location to comprising major ports within the Roman maritime network and to stand out of the heart of the commercial route ways to and from Constantinople, as well as being part of the emergent networks of the western maritime states at the end of the period, such as Venice.

Cette thèse se consacre aux découvertes en verre d’époque gallo-romaine (récipients, petits objets et verre architectural) effectuées sur les territoires des Mandubiens (Alésia), des Lingons (Langres et Mirebeau) et des Séquanes (Mandeure-Mathay), situés en Bourgogne et en Franche-Comté. À l’époque antique, cette zone constituait un des principaux carrefours du nord-est de la Gaule et le faciès du mobilier en verre en témoigne. Celui-ci est en effet composé d’importations du bassin rhodanien, de la Suisse occidentale, de Rhénanie et même d’Italie et de Méditerranée orientale. Cependant l’examen du répertoire des formes et de certains éléments caractéristiques liés à l’artisanat verrier indique que les besoins de vaisselle en verre devaient être principalement assurés par des ateliers régionaux. Par ailleurs, la confrontation des assemblages de mobilier issu de sites de nature différente (domestique, artisanale, cultuelle, funéraire) indique qu’une vaisselle en verre d’usage courant devait être choisie pour répondre à des besoins ou pratiques particuliers. Ainsi une étude comparative soutenue par une analyse statistique des ensembles de verreries peut contribuer à la caractérisation de sites archéologiques. / This PhD thesis is devoted to the findings of glass material (recipients, small objects and architectural glass) dated to the Gallo-roman era in Mandubian (Alésia), Lingon (Langres et Mirebeau), and Sequanian (Mandeure-Mathay) territories, situated in Burgundy and Frank-County. In Antiquity, this area constituted one of the main crossroads of North-Eastern Gaul, a situation which is corroborated by the features of the findings glass in the region. It is composed of numerous imports from the Rhone basin, western Switzerland, the Rhine region and even Italy and the Eastern Mediterranean. However the present investigation of the available repertory of shapes and of certain elements representative of distinctive glassmakers indicates that the needs in glass vessel must have been primarily fulfilled by regional workshops. Moreover a confrontation of the different ensembles of from sites of various nature (domestic, handicraft, religious, funerary) indicates that vessel of common usage were specifically chosen to meet particular needs or practices. In this way, a comparative study supported by a statistical analysis of glass ensembles contributes to the characterization of archeological sites.