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A synthesis of the current knowledge of the so-called Italian giacimenti a olle d’impasto rossiccio (reddish jar potsherd deposits) is presented. These sites are common along the Tyrrhenian side of Central Italy and are usually interpreted as salt-production sites, because of parallels with similar European specialised sites. In the latter, salt was obtained by boiling a brine in special disposable pottery, a technique known as briquetage. However, the analogies are not straightforward and alternative hypotheses, e.g. fish-processing, and a more complex intertwined economy have also been put forward. To solve the interpretation issues, we advocate to use a multidisciplinary approach involving quantification of the ceramics encountered, establishment of their morphological and functional typologies, and physico/chemical analyses to identify their use.

Within the expansionist policy of Rome in late 6th and early 5th centuries BC, Satricum certainly occupied a prominent position. Direct evidence comes from the Lapis Satricanus, a public memorial dedicated to Publius Valerius, one of the legendary founders of the Roman Republic. Many literary references also point to Roman military interest in the Satrican region, in the end leading to the town’s destruction in 488 BC. It is perhaps no coincidence that Satricum shows intense building activities and urban development during this period. Field research since 1977 has revealed an exceptionally rich and varied archaeological record. Highlights among this record are two monumental temples with innovative terracotta roofing systems, a well-organized and laid-out acropolis, an elaborate defensive system around the city and an impressive infrastructural organization in the lower city area. These collective efforts presuppose a strong centralized authority comparable to that of Rome. This paper relates the ‘building boom’ with traditional accounts of Roman military activities in the area. Had Satricum become a satellite town of Rome? Or does the historical record have to be re-assessed?