The Roman presence in the Alentejo was for a long time considered peripheral, as it was situated at the western extremity of the Roman Empire, but recent archaeological excavations have revealed a different reality. Two excavations coordinated by the University of Évora are helping to understand the dimension and diversity of this Roman presence in the region.
The first excavation took place at the Roman Villa of Santa Vitória do Ameixial, located in the municipality of Estremoz. At this site, 12 students from various Portuguese universities participated in the archaeological work, contributing to the research efforts.
The second excavation took place at Horta da Torre, in the municipality of Fronteira. Both excavations are part of a project that aims to better understand the connections to the Roman Orient, challenging the traditional perception that this zone of Portuguese territory was merely marginal to the empire.
The results of these archaeological works suggest that the Roman presence in the Alentejo was more significant and diverse than previously thought, evidencing connections that went far beyond the western extremity of the Roman Empire.
