I am an environmental archaeologist with particular expertise in historical ecology and palaeolandscape reconstruction. My current work integrates the literary record on early Rome with geoarchaeological evidence, in order to produce an environmental and topographical reconstruction of Rome’s river valley. I have been involved in several archaeological excavations and surveys, most recently in Rome. As director of the Forum Boarium Project, I have conducted a coring survey of the city’s original river harbour and harbour sanctuary. Among other findings, my research is revealing new insights on the role of environmental stress—in particular frequent flooding and rapid sedimentation in the river valley—on Rome’s urbanization process, as well as the scale of landscape change that occurred alongside urban development.

I also serve as Director of the Centre for Ancient Environmental Studies: https://caes.wp.st-andrews.ac.uk/