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Title: The Settlement of Muro Tenente, Southern Italy
Author(s): BURGERS, Gert-Jan
Journal: BABESCH
Volume: 71    Date: 1996   
Pages: 103-113
DOI: 10.2143/BAB.71.0.2002276

Abstract :
The investigations presented in this paper are an integral part of the regional ‘Brindisino' project of the Archaeological Institute of the Free University of Amsterdam. As was defined at the start of this project in 1981, its major aim is to contribute to the understanding of the processes of Hellenisation and Romanisation of the native communities inhabiting this region. To this end, over the years excavations and field surveys have both been launched, notably at Oria and Valesio. The data from this research are gradually being published in a number of monographs. Interim reports have been presented annually in Babesch.
In 1991 a new series of intensive field surveys was started in the Brindisino. These surveys focused on a number of large ancient settlements. One of these sites is Muro Tenente, located within the boundaries of the modern town of Mesagne, some 18km southeast of Brindisi. This site had previously known only small scale excavations and incidental field reconnaissance. It was surveyed in 1992. The success of these surveys has encouraged us to continue our research at Muro Tenente. In 1993 excavations were carried out to test the survey results on settlement organization and to investigate the fortifications of the site. Subsequently, in 1995 it was decided to incorporate the previous research into a multi-year programme aiming to study settlement organization at Muro Tenente in the context of both Hellenisation and Romanisation. In the pages that follow the preliminary results of this programme are presented in a chronological way.

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