HALAESA ARCHONIDEA. FORTIFICAZIONI, SISTEMI DI GESTIONE IDRICA E ARCHITETTURA URBANA. ASPETTI E PROBLEMI

Abstract

Since 2020 the University of Palermo has carry out an archaeological exploration in the North East sector (area of towers B and C) of the fortifications of Halaesa Archonidea, a city placed on the northern coast of Sicily whose archaeological documentation is particularly rich for the Hellenistic-Roman period. The city is developed on a hill with a steep slope, probably terraced in ancient age, whose physiognomy is today partly altered by the transformations of modern age. From the excavation, in progress, significant points of reflection emerge about the relations between fortification, urban structure, drainage and stability of the slopes. The excavation of environments close to the wall, belonging to a thermal building, points towards a reconsideration of the theme of water management, regulated perhaps through the aqueducts that came from the territory in the city, and makes us reflect on the criticalities about the nature of soils, subject to frequent erosion that has caused the instability of many structures.