Paesaggi storici e viabilità antica nelle province di lingua latina del Nord Africa

Starting from some results of two recent research projects performed by the Institute of Cultural Heritage of the Italian National Research Council, aimed at studying the historical landscapes and ancient roads of the Latinspeaking provinces of North Africa, the paper focuses on the contribution of aerial photos taken in the years 1942-1943 to the reconstruction of the ancient topography of some centres of three districts linked to the Barcid family and in particular to Hannibal, as well as to the events connected to the second Punic war: (i) the area of Carthage and those of Hippo Diarrhytus and Thabraca in the nearby district of Muxsi; (ii) Hadrumetum, Taparura and Thysdrus in Byzacena; (iii) Hippo Regius, Rusicade, Chullu, Igilgili, Saldae and Ikosim in the coastline of the regions of Cirta and Metagonite cities. Furthermore, as examples of the interventions of the imperial authority between the 1st and 4th cent. AD, the Simitthus-Thabraca and the Carthage-Theveste roads are examined.