Archaeologists Uncover Secret Roman Network in Southern Spain

Archaeologists from the University of Cádiz have uncovered 57 ancient Roman-era sites in Spain’s Guadalete River region, according to a story published in the Independent. The find suggests that the area may have been a significant hub within the Roman Empire.

Led by Macarena Lara, the team employed ground-penetrating radar to reveal structures and settlements across the Arcos de la Frontera, Bornos Villamartin, and Puerto Serrano regions in Spain. Some of these structures were previously unknown to historians. 

They indicate a complex network of settlements, strategically located along trade routes, and could further historians’ understanding of Rome’s influence in southern Spain. 

This discovery marks the first comprehensive study of these sites, many of which were initially identified decades ago, in the 1980s and 1990s, but had never fully explored. 

“Our main objective is to continue carrying out excavations and surveys with non-traditional techniques and tools that will be completed with the study of the contexts found, as well as analyze techniques on the documented materials that will allow us to obtain a holistic vision of the Roman settlement and the territory in the area around the Bornos and Arcos de la Frontera reservoirs,” Lara said in a statement.

While researchers have yet to attach a specific date to the newly discovered structures, the Roman settlements along Guadalete River are believed to date as far back as the Roman conquest of Spain, in 264 BCE.