Historical & Archaeological Research
The reconstruction of ancient Ilici is based on historical, archaeological, and geographical research collected from excavation reports, academic publications, Roman urban studies, and comparative references from other Hispano-Roman cities.
This research formed the scientific foundation for the digital reconstruction process, helping define the urban layout, architecture, landscape, infrastructure, and daily life of the city during the 1st century BC.
Image source: La Alcudia (University of Alicante), https://web.ua.es/es/laalcudia/
Research Methodology & Archaeological Sources
The reconstruction process combines archaeological interpretation, historical comparison, and digital visualization techniques to recreate a historically plausible representation of ancient Ilici.
The project is primarily based on archaeological investigations carried out at the archaeological site of La Alcudia in Elche, identified as the ancient Roman colony of Ilici. Excavation data, academic publications, urban studies, cartographic analysis, and architectural references related to Roman Hispania were studied and integrated throughout the reconstruction process.
Available archaeological evidence was analyzed together with Roman urban planning principles, environmental studies, and comparative references from other Roman settlements where direct evidence from Ilici remains incomplete. This approach allowed the reconstruction of both the urban structure and the surrounding landscape within a scientifically grounded framework.
Special attention was given to:
- Roman street organization and centuriation
- Public and religious architecture
- Residential structures
- Agricultural surroundings
- Terrain and environmental context
- Construction materials and urban scale
Historical Context
Before Romanization, Ilici was part of the Iberian cultural sphere of Contestania, inhabited by communities with a well-established social, political, and economic structure. Archaeological remains from La Alcudia reveal the existence of an Iberian oppidum on which the later Roman colony was founded. Findings such as domestic structures, painted ceramics, and defensive systems highlight the strategic importance of the settlement.
The ancient city of Ilici later became one of the most important urban centres in the Roman province of Hispania Citerior. Its development reached its peak during the 1st century BC, when it was granted the status of Roman colony following the Sertorian Wars and subsequently reorganized under the rule of Augustus. This transition marked a decisive turning point in its urban, economic, and social development, reflected in the monumental character of its architecture and the planned organization of its territory.
Many archaeological findings support this interpretation, including the presence of Iberian structures beneath Roman layers, the implementation of a centuriatio system in the surrounding agricultural parcels, and the construction of Roman infrastructure befitting its new colonial status, such as a forum, road networks, thermal baths, and other public buildings.
The reconstruction therefore, aims to visualize not only the city’s architecture, but also the historical landscape and environmental context in which daily Roman life unfolded.
Numismatic findings from Ilici include coins depicting temple imagery, reflecting the city’s religious structures and civic identity. These representations highlight the importance of Roman institutions within the colony.
The Tabula de Ilici and related archaeological interpretations provide evidence of the Roman centuriatio system applied to the territory of the city. This structured division of land reflects the planned organization of the rural landscape surrounding Ilici and its integration into Roman colonial administration.
Roman Urban Planning
The urban reconstruction follows the principles commonly found in Roman colonial cities, including orthogonal street organization, centuriation systems, and hierarchical public spaces.
The city layout was reconstructed by combining archaeological evidence with known Roman planning models, allowing the recreation of roads, insulae, agricultural divisions, and connections between urban and rural spaces
Architecture & Material Studies
Architectural reconstruction was developed through the study of Roman construction techniques, materials, proportions, and surviving references from Hispano-Roman architecture.
Walls, roofs, streets, temples, and urban elements were recreated using historically informed materials and construction systems to achieve a visually coherent representation of the city.
Scientific Interpretation & Limitations
As with many archaeological reconstructions, portions of the city remain hypothetical due to incomplete archaeological evidence. Where direct data was unavailable, historically informed interpretation and comparative analysis were used to reconstruct missing architectural and urban elements.
The project therefore represents a scientifically grounded visual hypothesis based on current archaeological knowledge.
The scientific reasoning and reconstruction decisions are further documented through the Extended Matrix Methodology, which connects archaeological evidence, historical interpretation, and the digital reconstruction workflow into a structured analytical framework.
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