The Roman Basilica at Freixo, Portugal: Ongoing Excavations and Current Interpretations Regarding the Role and Regional Significance of this Hinterland Community

Summary

This is an abstract from the "SAA 2023: Individual Abstracts" session, at the 88th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

Excavations at Freixo, Portugal, continue to provide substantive data regarding the nature of Roman Imperial organization and decline in the southern Iberian Peninsula. Of specific interest is the role of hinterland communities within the overarching sociopolitical and ideological landscape. Recent discoveries at the Freixo Basilica suggest material trappings indicative of a central place of regional worship. In addition, investigations have identified an unexpected level of associated burials both co-occurring with and postdating primary basilica operation. The discovery of a complete, in situ marble sarcophagus, along with a coffin inscription bearing the Chi Rho Monogram, provide a unique opportunity to understand the ideological complexity and significance of the Freixo Basilica. Current analyses of these burials, along with pending 14C samples, will highlight the extent to which the Freixo Basilica was reused as sacred Christian space even after Germanic invasion. These data will be embedded within an overall discussion of the role of Roman rural settlements within the overarching Iberian Peninsula.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• SAA 2023: Individual Abstracts   •
• Society for American Archaeology 88th Annual Meeting, Portland, OR (2023)

Keywords

Spatial Coverage

Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 37448.0