La gestión de los residuos en "Augusta Emerita" (Mérida, España). Siglos I a.c. -VII d.c.

Resumen

This work examines the waste disposal systems used in the Roman city of Augusta Emerita, capital of Lusitania province, from its foundation to 7th century AD. The analysis is organized in three main points of research concerning the basic categories of waste to eliminate: liquids, physiological and solids. The first one is focused on the public sewer network and the water drainage mechanisms both in public and private places, while the second is dedicated to the study of latrines, analyzing aspects such as their location, architectonic design and hydraulic infrastructure. For the solid trash, it was investigated the process of its elimination in dumps, paying attention to three main issues: the location of the landfill sites in the urban context, the specific types of containers and the eliminated rubbish nature. The analysis of these aspects as a whole shows that there was a concern in moving garbage away from the urban center during the Roman period. Nevertheless, from 5th century AD onwards a considerable change occurs in the waste management strategies, fact that is reflected mainly on the gradual disuse of the sewer system, the abandonment of latrines and the spread of dumps inside the city. These transformations are the result of a new urban model developed from political, socioeconomic and ideological changes that make their mark on the material reality of the cities during Late Antiquity.