A recent archaeological study has brought to light important findings about the Roman road network that connected Corduba (present-day Córdoba) with Emerita Augusta (now Mérida), highlighting the sophistication and scale of the infrastructure used by the Roman Empire for mining exploitation in northern Córdoba. This study was conducted by a team from the University of Córdoba, which employed cutting-edge technology like LiDAR remote sensing to analyze in detail this significant Roman road and the associated mining sites.

During Roman rule, Corduba was a nerve center not only as the capital of the province of Baetica but also as a logistical hub in the network of mineral resource transportation from the Sierra Morena to the imperial capital. The city was strategically situated to exploit the natural routes that connected the peninsula, especially in the transportation of precious metals such as silver, copper, and lead.

The Conventus Cordubensis, a Roman administrative subdivision, played a crucial role in the organization and supervision of mining exploitation, facilitating the efficient mobilization of resources through a well-maintained network of roads that connected the mines with the main distribution centers.

Map of the extension of the Conventus Cordubensis
Map of the extension of the Conventus Cordubensis. Credit: ign.es / Unidad Patricia / Universidad de Córdoba

One of the most innovative aspects of the study was the use of LiDAR, a remote sensing technology that provides a detailed view of the terrain, virtually eliminating the dense vegetation that often hides ancient structures. This method has revealed sections and settlements of the Corduba-Emerita Road that were previously unknown and hidden, as well as several facilities associated with Roman mining activity.

This advancement has allowed for more precise mapping of the region and expanded knowledge about Roman infrastructure in areas that were previously inaccessible or difficult to explore due to rugged terrain.

The research not only highlighted the road routes but also identified multiple key Roman mining sites. Among these are the mines of La Loba, Cerro Muriano, and Doña Rama, each demonstrating the intensive metal extraction activity that defined the region’s economy under Roman rule.

The road to Emerita Augusta, in the surroundings of the Cascajoso stream
The road to Emerita Augusta, in the surroundings of the Cascajoso stream. Credit: scne.es / Unidad Patricia / Universidad de Córdoba

Particularly significant is the discovery of mining infrastructures around the Puente Nuevo reservoir, a region that, due to current drought conditions, allowed researchers to conduct more thorough surveys. These sites include remains of smelting furnaces and storage structures that underscore the region’s role not only in extraction but also in the initial processing of metals.

The study’s methodology combined traditional archaeological techniques with modern geospatial analysis tools. In addition to using LiDAR, drone flights were conducted, and detailed orthoimages were captured, which allowed for the identification of terrain anomalies, suggesting the presence of routes and structures hidden beneath the vegetation.

The identification of new sections of the Corduba-Emerita Road and the location of strategic mining sites reinforce the image of a complex and well-organized road network that was vital to the empire’s economy. Moreover, these discoveries reaffirm Córdoba’s role as a crucial center in Roman logistics, where the control and distribution of natural resources extracted from the region were orchestrated.

The Roman road in Puente Nuevo
The Roman road in Puente Nuevo. Credit: scne.es / Unidad Patricia / Universidad de Córdoba

The researchers conclude that These discoveries confirm that Roman roads in mountainous terrain often run along the hillside instead of the mountain crest or the valley floor. However, in broad valleys, where the roads must deviate from the mountain, they follow the changing course of the river, providing a buffer against floods and unstable terrain. Additionally, tracing Roman roads based on medieval roads, as traditionally done in the region’s historiography, can lead to erroneous conclusions.

The medieval roads in this area have been affected by later settlements that did not exist in Roman times, as well as economic needs different from those of the Romans. In fact, the Roman roads in this mountainous territory were influenced by mining operations and mountain passes, as demonstrated by the discovery of previously unknown road sections.

They add that this approach allows us to go beyond the main roads documented in the Antonine Itinerary and examine the network of secondary roads. Until now, our knowledge was limited to the fame of Córdoba’s metals in Rome, the wealth amassed by the mine owners, and the prominence of the corporations that extracted the metals. It is well known that Corduba played a fundamental role in receiving and managing these extracted metals and that the Baetis River served as a route to transport them to the imperial capital. However, not all the deposits where these metals were extracted, transformed, and stored, nor the routes connecting them to the Guadalquivir Valley, had been located.

SOURCES

José Luis Domínguez-Jiménez, Antonio Monterroso-Checa, Sensing the Corduba-Emerita Road: New transects of the route identified in the north of Córdoba. Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports, Volume 58, October 2024, 104694. doi.org/10.1016/j.jasrep.2024.104694

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