15-24

Articles

• Magli, Giulio

In the wide area of the ancient Latium Vetus - roughly enclosed within the coast and theApennines between Rome and Terracina, in Central Italy - there are several examples oftown's walls and buildings constructed with the spectacular megalithic technique calledpolygonal, in which enormous blocks are cut in irregular shapes and perfectly fit togetherwithout mortar. In many cases, for instance in Alatri, Arpino, Circei, Norba and Segni, themegalithic size of the blocks and the ingenuity in construction reach the same magnificenceand impression of power and pride which characterize the worldwide famous Mycenaeantowns of Tiryns and Mycenae, constructed around the XIII century BC. In Italy however, allpolygonal walls are currently attributed to the Romans, and dated to the first centuries of theRoman republic (V-III century BC), although for most of these constructions no reliablestratigraphy is available. In the present work, which is part of an ongoing project aiming at acomplete study of these buildings, we investigate the possible astronomical references in theplanning of two among the most imposing of them, namely the so called Acropolis of Alatriand Circei.

• History and Archaeology

• Αρχαιολογία

Latium Vetus, Megalithic buildings, Archaeoastronomy, Acropolis of Altari, Circei