Scavi del Palatino I

Focusing on the south-western slopes of the Palatine Hill in Rome, this study investigates the long-term urban and functional evolution of the sector spanning from the protohistoric period to the construction of the Temple of Victory in the early third century BCE. The primary analytical foundation rests on stratigraphical excavations conducted within a circular hypogeum structure situated directly beneath the cella of the Temple of Victory. Through a thorough examination of the site's complex stratigraphy and structural features—including early water features, quarries, and subsequent leveling processes—the text reconstructs the transition from early hut settlements to formal monumental architecture. A comprehensive typological and material catalog details the rich ceramic, epigraphic, and votive assemblages retrieved from the hypogeum's backfill. By integrating these archaeological finds with literary sources and regional comparative data, the work elucidates the shifting sacred, domestic, and civic dynamics of early Rome.