The Archeodig Project was born in 2008 with the objective of studying and excavating the ancient city of Populonia in the Roman age, starting from the Roman Villa of Poggio del molino. Populonia, located in the region of Italy once known as Etruria, was for centuries one of the most flourishing centers of iron smelting and trade in all over the Mediterranean. The passage of the city under Roman rule didn’t put a stop to its metalworking vocation: it is known that the Augustan ruling class had important economic interests in the area’s industrial production and commerce.

The main objective of the project is to fill as many as possible of the gaps in our knowledge of the history of Populonia and its territory, from the early Roman period to the Middle Ages. From a scientific point of view the project results will enable a more profound understanding of the industrial aspects of Roman rule and territorial exploitation, given the site’s strategic position vis-à-vis natural resources which placed it at the centre of commercial activities throughout the region. The changes (politico-economical, architectural and religious) in connection with the arrival of Romans in this part of the Etruscan coast are still largely unknown in detail.

Research will employ all the specific archaeological disciplines trying to reconstruct as fully as possible the historical and economic setting for the area.