This is the second in a series of lectures on Material Environments, hosted jointly by the American Academy in Rome and the British School at Rome over the academic year 2025-2026. Through several evening lectures, speakers will present new research on environments of ancient and post-Classical Rome and Italy. Changing technologies of research provide new answers to questions about the experience and effect of landscape and climate. These lectures showcase the ways in which environmental considerations recast our study of the past.
The lecture presents the most recent discoveries at San Casciano dei Bagni, between rituals and landscape surrounding the sacred hot spring. Not only thermo-mineral water played a fundamental role, but also fire. Merging water and fire this lecture presents the diachronic development of the sanctuary of Bagno Grande in a constant dialogue with nature around it.
Jacopo Tabolli is Associate Professor pre-Roman Archaeology and Etruscology at the Università per Stranieri di Siena and Director of the Centre for Archaeology of Diversity and Mobility in pre-Roman Italy. He is currently the Unistrasi Deputy Dean (prorettore) for the Relations with Cultural and Political Institutions, member of the Board of Trustees. He received at Sapienza University of Rome his BA in 2006, MA in 2008 and completed his PhD in 2012. Between 2015 and 2017 Jacopo has been a post-doctoral researcher at Trinity College Dublin, where he also taught for two years, and a Research Associate at the University of Cyprus. Between 2017 and 2021 he served as Archaeological Officer at the Soprintendenza Archeologia, belle arti e paesaggio per le province di Siena, Grosseto e Arezzo (Italian Ministry of Culture). He published two books, edited eleven volumes and wrote more than 130 papers on peer-reviewed journals and book chapters.
The event is hybrid. You’re welcome to attend in person—no registration is needed, and access is free. If you would like to join us online, please make sure to register using the link above.
