(Rome, Italy): The "Geological Heritage" of the Palatino Hill: landscape evolution, rock slope instability and anthropic modifications

The Palatino Hill is among the main sites of the Roman antiquity. The western side, bordering an ancient tributary stream of the Tiber River - i.e. the Velabrum Valley - was occupied since the Iron Age, hosted the main settlements at the time of foundation (VIII cen. BC) and became an important religious and public area during the Republican and Imperial ages. The original geological landscape of the area has been modified by almost 3000 years of urban development. Few evidence can still be observed on isolated outcrops (Fig.1), while well data archives can give some further insights. In this work we try to outline the "Geological Heritage" of the site, this meaning we highlight the main aspects of the interplays between the geological characteristics of the area, the landscape evolution, and the site development during the Roman civilization