Conferences by Roberta Ferritto
Roman Maritime Villas from Southern Latium to the Mediterranean Provinces: Architecture, Environment, and Economy
Guest lecture at the Joukowsky Institute for Archaeology and Ancient World, Brown University, Pro... more Guest lecture at the Joukowsky Institute for Archaeology and Ancient World, Brown University, Providence, USA, 14 October 2025.
Ancient Villas, Modern Echoes: Shaping the Mediterranean Coastal Landscape through Roman Luxury Villas and their Influence on Contemporary Domestic Architecture
Guest lecture at the Graduate School of Design, Harvard University, Cambridge, USA, 2 October 2025.
Maritima Mirabilia: Roman Coastal Villa Design Through the CLaRMaV project Lens
Invited speaker at the McGill University, Montreal, Canada, 25 September 2025.
Anatomy of Coastal Mediterranean Landscapes: Roman Maritime Villas Architectural Trends and Patterns
Invited speaker at the Institute of Archaeology and Material Studies, Cornell University, Ithaca,... more Invited speaker at the Institute of Archaeology and Material Studies, Cornell University, Ithaca, USA, 18 September 2025
Roman Maritime Villa Architecture in the Mediterranean Landscape: Early Data from the CLaRMaV Project
Invited Speaker at the "Ancient Architecture Discussion Group" Seminar. University of Oxford, Lin... more Invited Speaker at the "Ancient Architecture Discussion Group" Seminar. University of Oxford, Lincoln College, 28 February 2025
Architettura e Piscicoltura: Analisi delle Peschiere Romane
Roberta Ferritto, 2025
Invited Speaker at the "Ville Romane nella Regio I Latium et Campania" Conference.
Accademia Na... more Invited Speaker at the "Ville Romane nella Regio I Latium et Campania" Conference.
Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei, Palazzo Corsini, Rome, 30-31 January 2025,
Sessione: Risorse, gestione ed economia delle ville villa sul mare.
Abstract: La costa tirrenica dell'Italia centrale era un tempo costellata da lussuose ville marittime appartenenti all’élite romana. Nel Lazio meridionale, molte di queste ville erano dotate di peschiere, caratterizzate ciascuna da un design variegato in termini di forme e dimensioni, con vasche interconnesse per l’allevamento di diverse specie di pesci. Queste strutture non erano solo elementi architettonici decorativi di grande valore, ma fungevano anche da veri e propri centri di piscicoltura, garantendo pesce fresco per il consumo interno delle ville e, probabilmente, soddisfacendo la domanda del mercato locale.
Questo intervento propone un nuovo approccio allo studio delle peschiere romane, sfruttando metodologie digitali innovative. Si evidenzierà che, nonostante la maggior parte delle strutture non sia stata oggetto di indagini archeologiche dirette, l’integrazione di diverse metodologie può fornire dati ipotetici su vari aspetti delle peschiere. Attraverso l’approccio digitale, infatti, è possibile aggiornare le piante delle strutture esistenti e realizzare modelli 3-D che facilitino una migliore analisi, interpretazione e ricostruzione del design architettonico, considerando sia le parti visibili sia quelle ormai scomparse.
Inoltre, l’intervento esplorerà come, mediante calcoli dedotti dalle ricostruzioni 3-D e l’integrazione di modelli teorici sviluppati da altri studi, sia possibile quantificare la capacità media di produzione di queste peschiere e stimare i loro costi di costruzione.
Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei, Palazzo Corsini, Rome, 30-31 January 2025,
Sessione: Risorse, gestione ed economia delle ville villa sul mare.
Abstract: La costa tirrenica dell'Italia centrale era un tempo costellata da lussuose ville marittime appartenenti all’élite romana. Nel Lazio meridionale, molte di queste ville erano dotate di peschiere, caratterizzate ciascuna da un design variegato in termini di forme e dimensioni, con vasche interconnesse per l’allevamento di diverse specie di pesci. Queste strutture non erano solo elementi architettonici decorativi di grande valore, ma fungevano anche da veri e propri centri di piscicoltura, garantendo pesce fresco per il consumo interno delle ville e, probabilmente, soddisfacendo la domanda del mercato locale.
Questo intervento propone un nuovo approccio allo studio delle peschiere romane, sfruttando metodologie digitali innovative. Si evidenzierà che, nonostante la maggior parte delle strutture non sia stata oggetto di indagini archeologiche dirette, l’integrazione di diverse metodologie può fornire dati ipotetici su vari aspetti delle peschiere. Attraverso l’approccio digitale, infatti, è possibile aggiornare le piante delle strutture esistenti e realizzare modelli 3-D che facilitino una migliore analisi, interpretazione e ricostruzione del design architettonico, considerando sia le parti visibili sia quelle ormai scomparse.
Inoltre, l’intervento esplorerà come, mediante calcoli dedotti dalle ricostruzioni 3-D e l’integrazione di modelli teorici sviluppati da altri studi, sia possibile quantificare la capacità media di produzione di queste peschiere e stimare i loro costi di costruzione.
Main organiser of the Session no. 884 ‘Transfer and Reception of Public and Private Architectural Types in the Coastal Settlements of the Mediterranean Basin
30th Annual meeting of the European Association of Archaeologists (EAA), Rome, Italy, 28-31 Augus... more 30th Annual meeting of the European Association of Archaeologists (EAA), Rome, Italy, 28-31 August 2024.
Abstract: For centuries, the Mediterranean has been the scene and crossroads of different peoples, cultures, customs, and religions. The ancient coastal settlements and access to various sea routes, played a key role in the dynamic of exchange between civilisations. Indeed, they acted as ‘gateway settlements’, between land and sea, funnelling goods and people in both directions.
Public and private spaces, from the spatial organization of the city, from the forum to dwellings, are the product of common outcomes that link social structures, urbanization, and architecture, in a relational association. Throughout the Mediterranean, for instance, architectural types inspired by Roman patterns are present, both in public and private realms, such as basilicas, baths, honorary arches, and maritime villas. In spite of this, the influence of the local architectural tradition is frequently evident. This is due to several factors, including the employment of local craftsmen and architects trained in a different tradition, the availability of different raw materials, and the influence of neighbouring cultures at the periphery of the Mediterranean nations.
This session therefore invites papers discussing the transfer and reception of architectural models in both private and public realms, identified between West and East of the Mediterranean basin, along coastal settings and their immediate hinterland. The session seeks to deepen our understanding of how specific local realities influenced later historical developments, to the point of having a strong impact on modern cultures. Therefore, we encourage contributions dealing with all chronological periods. We invite you to participate with contributions oriented towards the following issues and/or other similar ones, such as:
1. Coastal Architectural Features and Regional Variations
2. Factors Influencing the Diffusion of Architectural Features
3. Public vs Private Architectural Features
4. Local Architectural Patters in the Mediterranean
5. The Interaction Between Architectures and Urban Systems
6. Socio-Cultural Implications of Architectural Choices
Abstract: For centuries, the Mediterranean has been the scene and crossroads of different peoples, cultures, customs, and religions. The ancient coastal settlements and access to various sea routes, played a key role in the dynamic of exchange between civilisations. Indeed, they acted as ‘gateway settlements’, between land and sea, funnelling goods and people in both directions.
Public and private spaces, from the spatial organization of the city, from the forum to dwellings, are the product of common outcomes that link social structures, urbanization, and architecture, in a relational association. Throughout the Mediterranean, for instance, architectural types inspired by Roman patterns are present, both in public and private realms, such as basilicas, baths, honorary arches, and maritime villas. In spite of this, the influence of the local architectural tradition is frequently evident. This is due to several factors, including the employment of local craftsmen and architects trained in a different tradition, the availability of different raw materials, and the influence of neighbouring cultures at the periphery of the Mediterranean nations.
This session therefore invites papers discussing the transfer and reception of architectural models in both private and public realms, identified between West and East of the Mediterranean basin, along coastal settings and their immediate hinterland. The session seeks to deepen our understanding of how specific local realities influenced later historical developments, to the point of having a strong impact on modern cultures. Therefore, we encourage contributions dealing with all chronological periods. We invite you to participate with contributions oriented towards the following issues and/or other similar ones, such as:
1. Coastal Architectural Features and Regional Variations
2. Factors Influencing the Diffusion of Architectural Features
3. Public vs Private Architectural Features
4. Local Architectural Patters in the Mediterranean
5. The Interaction Between Architectures and Urban Systems
6. Socio-Cultural Implications of Architectural Choices
Roman influences and local traditions: a comparative study of maritime villas in the Mediterranean Basin
The Mediterranean coastline and immediate hinterlands host a rich cultural heritage
reflecting t... more The Mediterranean coastline and immediate hinterlands host a rich cultural heritage
reflecting the intense and varied human activities occurring throughout centuries.
Ancient maritime villas, a common feature of the Roman Mediterranean, approached
varied architectural solutions. The Roman models identified in Italy, where maritime
villas originated and were perfected, often influenced provincial models, where they
often emulated the various Italian examples. In Istria, for example, villas are influenced
by the central Tyrrhenian models, while in the Iberian Peninsula the ‘linear plan type’
imitates the open-sea front architecture of maritime villas represented in the painted
views from Stabiae and Pompeii. However, local forms also exist, for example in
Tripolitania, where the architectural design choices are clearly dictated by other factors,
such as the local environment. In terms of monumentality and aesthetic, the majority of
maritime villas along the Italian coasts displayed a high degree of grandeur, reflecting
the lifestyle of the Roman elite. A symbol of wealth and power, Roman maritime villas
represented the political and socio-economic achievements of their owners. Do we
detect the same in the provinces? Is there any substantial difference in terms of
dimension, function, building and decorative materials? The aim of this paper is to
explore what kinds of Roman architectural influences can be identified in the provincial
maritime villas, which models are instead inspired by local traditions, and if economic
and socio-cultural implications dictated specific architectural choices.
reflecting the intense and varied human activities occurring throughout centuries.
Ancient maritime villas, a common feature of the Roman Mediterranean, approached
varied architectural solutions. The Roman models identified in Italy, where maritime
villas originated and were perfected, often influenced provincial models, where they
often emulated the various Italian examples. In Istria, for example, villas are influenced
by the central Tyrrhenian models, while in the Iberian Peninsula the ‘linear plan type’
imitates the open-sea front architecture of maritime villas represented in the painted
views from Stabiae and Pompeii. However, local forms also exist, for example in
Tripolitania, where the architectural design choices are clearly dictated by other factors,
such as the local environment. In terms of monumentality and aesthetic, the majority of
maritime villas along the Italian coasts displayed a high degree of grandeur, reflecting
the lifestyle of the Roman elite. A symbol of wealth and power, Roman maritime villas
represented the political and socio-economic achievements of their owners. Do we
detect the same in the provinces? Is there any substantial difference in terms of
dimension, function, building and decorative materials? The aim of this paper is to
explore what kinds of Roman architectural influences can be identified in the provincial
maritime villas, which models are instead inspired by local traditions, and if economic
and socio-cultural implications dictated specific architectural choices.
Coastal Landscapes and Roman Maritime Villas: A Comparative Regional Study of Architectural Models and Environmental Settings
Invited speaker for the On-line workshop 'La Ricerca Archeologica nel contesto delle Marie Skłodo... more Invited speaker for the On-line workshop 'La Ricerca Archeologica nel contesto delle Marie Skłodowska Curie Actions: PROGETTI ESPERIENZE NETWORKS', Università degli Studi di Udine, Dipartimento di Studi Umanistici e del Patrimonio Culturale, 8 July 2024
CLaRMaV - Coastal Landscapes and Roman Maritime Villas: A Comparative Regional Study of Architectural Models and Environmental Settings.
Invited speaker for the lecture ‘Visiting Scholars in History of Art Classical Archaeology’, Univ... more Invited speaker for the lecture ‘Visiting Scholars in History of Art Classical Archaeology’, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA, 30 April 2024
Moderator of Session 3 (part 1): ‘Archeologia e Ambiente: approcci eco-critici allo studio delle relazioni Umanità-Natura’
two-day conference ‘II Ciclo de Seminários de Arqueologia – Arqueologia presente: formas e aspect... more two-day conference ‘II Ciclo de Seminários de Arqueologia – Arqueologia presente: formas e aspectos de uma disciplina em ação’, Lab.Arque com la collaborazione del laboratório G.Leir - UNIVERSIDADE ESTADUAL PAULISTA “JÚLIO DE MESQUITA FILHO”, San Paolo, Brazil, 28 November 2023.
Building the central Tyrrhenian coast during the Roman Age: a dialogue between domestic architecture and environment
Invited speaker for two-day conference ‘II Ciclo de Seminários de Arqueologia – Arqueologia prese... more Invited speaker for two-day conference ‘II Ciclo de Seminários de Arqueologia – Arqueologia presente: formas e aspectos de uma disciplina em ação’, Lab.Arque com la collaborazione del laboratório G.Leir - UNIVERSIDADE ESTADUAL PAULISTA “JÚLIO DE MESQUITA FILHO”, San Paolo, Brazil, 28 November 2023
Fasi della Stesura del Progetto CLaRMaV-HORIZON-MSCA-PF-GF 2022
Invited speaker for the ‘Seminario di Formazione per nuove MSCA Fellowships’, ALMA MATER STUDIORU... more Invited speaker for the ‘Seminario di Formazione per nuove MSCA Fellowships’, ALMA MATER STUDIORUM – Università di Bologna, Dipartimento di Storia Culture Civiltà – DISCI, 11 May 2023.
Reassessing substructures at Hadrian’s Villa and at the so-called Cicero’s villa at Formiae: architecture, decoration, functions
The ERC Consolidator Grant DECOR: General Project Outline (replacement)
2-Day Conference 'IF DATA COULD WALK. At the Intersection of Spatial Data and Phenomenology in Pompeii', University of Arkansas, July 23/24, 2021, 2021
The ERC Consolidator Grant DECOR project based in the Department of Classical Archaeology at the ... more The ERC Consolidator Grant DECOR project based in the Department of Classical Archaeology at the University of Kiel aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of the decorative principles employed in Italy between the Republic and the early Imperial Italy. Unlike previous research programmes, decorative phenomena are not considered as single decorative elements in isolation but in their correlation and interaction. This means that decorative elements are examined with regard to their architectural context and their visual relationship to each other. This comprehensive approach is pursued in the project for three urban functional units: houses, sanctuaries, and main streets. Lately, a further sub-project has emerged from the various work packages, which aims at analysing the reception of space and decor by mean of eye-tracking. This annex project deals with a cooperation between archaeology and psychology and investigates the modern reception of ancient decorative spaces by means of eye-tracking.
Beyond functionality: Decorative aspects of the substructures of Roman domestic architectures
Amoena Utilitas: Decoration, Display, and Functionality in the Basis Villae
DECOR Research Workshop 2021 CAU Kiel Klassische Archäologie (via Zoom)
Torre Astura fra Storia, Miti e Misteri
Analysing Roman Marine Fishponds in a Digital World
The impact of luxury maritime villa construction boom on the prestigious coast between Southern Latium and Campania
This paper compares two research projects concerning the analysis of maritime villas of Southern ... more This paper compares two research projects concerning the analysis of maritime villas of Southern Latium and Campania. It examines the effects in both regions of the intensive construction activity on real estate along their coasts, from socio-economic, productive, architectural and organisational perspectives. Thanks to the cross-referencing of data it has been possible to make comparisons, identifying the main differences and similarities between the two regions, and with similar maritime architectures in the Ancient Mediterranean.