Archaeological research conducted in recent years at Muro Leccese by the Department of Cultural Heritage of the University of Salento gathered in the eastern sector of the town. A long wall with orthostates was found parallel to the surrounding walls which enclosed an area of over 100 hectares, about 50 metres inside them. It was built by reusing blocks and architectural elements (jambs, architraves, a drum of column) together with smaller stones. Numerous lead amygdales, catapult balls and a scorpio arrow were found below the collapses of this wall. They testify to a violent clash that took place in that area. The arrow also has the tip deformed because of the impact. The materials found in the excavation of this structure, probably used as an extreme shelter during the siege of the town, allow us to hypothesize that its final destruction did not occur during the Bellum Sallentinum of 267-266 BCE, as proposed so far, but at the end of the 3rd century BCE.
Nuovi dati sull’età annibalica in Messapia: il caso di Muro Leccese
Meo, F.
2022-01-01
Abstract
Archaeological research conducted in recent years at Muro Leccese by the Department of Cultural Heritage of the University of Salento gathered in the eastern sector of the town. A long wall with orthostates was found parallel to the surrounding walls which enclosed an area of over 100 hectares, about 50 metres inside them. It was built by reusing blocks and architectural elements (jambs, architraves, a drum of column) together with smaller stones. Numerous lead amygdales, catapult balls and a scorpio arrow were found below the collapses of this wall. They testify to a violent clash that took place in that area. The arrow also has the tip deformed because of the impact. The materials found in the excavation of this structure, probably used as an extreme shelter during the siege of the town, allow us to hypothesize that its final destruction did not occur during the Bellum Sallentinum of 267-266 BCE, as proposed so far, but at the end of the 3rd century BCE.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
