Permitte Divis Cetera (Horace, Odes, 1.9). Cult places, ritual landscapes and their socio-economic embedding in archaic and republican Latium Vetus

The thesis delves deep into the archaeological evidence regarding the sanctuaries, settlement structures and territories of two important city-states in Latium Vetus, Satricum and Ardea, from the late 7th to the 3rd centuries BC. By analysing the dynamic relationship between urban and rural spaces, the study explores how socio-economic and political shifts influenced religious practices and infrastructural growth in these cities, and viceversa. The research employs a comprehensive methodology of systematic organisation and interpretation of archaeological data, including those resulted from topographical surveys, and the analysis of ancient sources and historical examinations. Special attention is given to biases in data, such as fragmented evidence and chronological challenges in rural site interpretations; and the main cult places are reconstructed in their architectural and archaeological history. The final aim of the study is to ultimately compare the trajectories of Ardea and Satricum and interpret them within the archaeological and historical context of Latium Vetus. Thanks to a systematic and critical approach and analysis of the significant amount of published data, the thesis reveals for the first time, apart from similarities, specific and context-dependent differences in the development of both city-states. As such, the thesis can be seen as a contribution to a deeper understanding of the formation of city-states in early Italy south of Rome, a contribution that nuances current generic modelling.