1. Historical & Archaeological Preparation

Before beginning the digital modeling process, an extensive phase of historical and archaeological research was carried out. This included the study of excavation reports, ancient Roman urban planning principles, historical cartography, satellite imagery, and comparative references from other Roman settlements in Hispania.

The collected information was organized through the Extended Matrix methodology, which allowed each reconstructed element to be linked to archaeological evidence, interpretative hypotheses, or comparative analogies.

This phase established:

• The approximate urban layout of the city
• Road systems and circulation paths
• Parcel divisions based on centuriation
• Building typologies and architectural language
• Agricultural and environmental context
• Spatial hierarchy of public and private areas

Historical & Archaeological Research

Extended Matrix Methodology

2. Terrain Reconstruction

The terrain was reconstructed first in order to establish the geographical and environmental context of the city.

Topographical references and landscape studies were used to recreate:

• The natural elevation of the terrain
• Ancient access routes
• Agricultural surroundings
• River and water-related areas
• Roman parcel organization

The terrain served as the structural foundation for the placement of architecture, roads, vegetation, and urban spaces.

3. Urban Planning & City Layout in Blender

The initial urban layout was developed in Blender using archaeological references and Roman urban planning principles.

This stage focused on:

• Defining the main road network
• Establishing insulae and parcel divisions
• Positioning public buildings and temples
• Organizing residential areas
• Creating circulation routes and secondary streets

The city was progressively blocked out using modular geometry to maintain scalability and flexibility during development.

4. Architectural Modeling

Once the urban structure was established, individual architectural elements were modeled in detail.

The reconstruction included:

• Roman domestic houses
• Temple structures
• Walls and defensive elements
• Market spaces and plazas
• Columns, roofs, doors, and decorative elements
• Environmental props and urban furniture

The modeling process followed Roman architectural proportions and material references whenever archaeological evidence was available. In areas with limited evidence, comparative examples from similar Roman settlements were used as interpretative support.

Special attention was given to:

• Modular workflows
• Reusable assets
• Optimization for real-time rendering
• Material variation and realism

5. Texturing & Material Development

Materials and textures were created to visually reinforce the historical atmosphere of the reconstruction.

This included:

• Stone and masonry surfaces
• Roman plaster and painted walls
• Roof tiles and ceramic materials
• Dirt roads and pathways
• Vegetation and agricultural surfaces

The texturing workflow combined procedural materials with image-based textures to maintain both realism and optimization.

Lighting tests and material adjustments were continuously performed to ensure visual consistency throughout the city.

6. Transition to Unreal Engine

After the Blender reconstruction phase, the project was transferred into Unreal Engine for real-time visualization and interactive presentation.

The import process involved:

• Exporting optimized assets
• Organizing modular meshes
• Reconstructing materials inside Unreal Engine
• Setting collision systems
• Preparing assets for environmental interaction

The transition allowed the reconstruction to move from a static visualization into an explorable digital environment.

7. Environment & Landscape Development

Inside Unreal Engine, the environmental context of the city was further expanded.

This phase included:

• Landscape sculpting and terrain refinement
• Vegetation placement using foliage systems
• Atmospheric lighting and post-processing
• Environmental storytelling elements
• Market areas, props, and urban decoration

The goal was to create a believable Roman landscape that enhanced immersion while supporting the archaeological interpretation of the city.

8. Real-Time Optimization & Interactivity

To ensure smooth real-time performance, several optimization techniques were applied throughout the project.

These included:

• Modular asset systems
• Level optimization
• Collision management
• Texture optimization
• LOD (Level of Detail) implementation
• Efficient foliage distribution

Additional interactive elements were also implemented using Blueprints inside Unreal Engine, allowing the environment to become more dynamic and explorable.

9. Final Rendering & Presentation

The final stage focused on visual presentation and communication of the reconstruction.

This included:

• Cinematic camera compositions
• High-quality renders
• Real-time walkthroughs
• Environmental lighting passes
• Presentation scenes for documentation and academic dissemination

The resulting reconstruction serves both as a scientific visualization tool and as an immersive educational experience that communicates the urban and architectural character of Roman Ilici.

Final visualizations