Dissertationsprojekt von Romain Andenmatten: Archäologische Forschungen im Bereich der eisenzeitlichen⁄spätrepublikanischen «Mur (dit) d'Hannibal» (Liddes⁄VS) (Arbeitstitel)

The interdisciplinary and archaeological research around the Site know as Hannibal Wall allows each year to highlight and investigate new high altitude positions (between 2350 and 3100m above the sea) occupied by Roman military (auxiliaries or legionaries) during the establishment of Roman hegemony over the Poenine Alps (between 57 BC and 25 BC). This work is carried out by a joint group made up of the scientific group of the RAMHA association and staff members of the Soprintendenza per i beni e le attività culturali.

This PhD-project will be an opportunity to present a synthesis based on the data acquired over the past fifteen years, the latest news, and to discuss the state of the studies in progress. A group of about fifteen researchers from various disciplines is currently collaborating on the preparation of a first volume of synthesis on this work. The sometimes extraordinary state of conservation of the archaeological material on these sites allows studies that are difficult to envisage in other terrestrial contexts (like dendrochronology on wooden artefacts).

The comparison with historical sources finally opens up interesting discussions both from a methodological point of view and on the interpretation and dating of certain events which were admitted for a long time (for example the course and the late dating, 16-15 BC of the entry of Valais into the zone of Roman hegemony).

Based on the study of a site, research currently in progress has made possible to inventory twenty five positions, of which eleven have been investigated. Are they isolated positions, positions occupied successively or a network of tactical positions in order to occupy a territory? What events or series of events could it be linked to? Are there any links or hierarchies between these positions?

These are some of the questions that will be addressed but this research will have to continue ...