ABSTRACT
Sardinia, the second-largest island in the western Mediterranean, was first occupied by the Romans after the conclusion of the First Punic War, and was formally annexed as the province Sardinia et Corsica in 227 BCE, although the consolidation of this conquest was a gradual process, often hampered by revolts. The Roman conquest did not result in the rapid spread of urbanization. The coastal cities of Caralis, Sulci, Nora, and Tharros, all of them with a long Phoenician-Punic tradition, continued to exist and developed a typical blend of Punic and Italian architecture. The most disruptive change took place at Caralis, where the settlement moved to a site with better port facilities, although even here Punic cultural traditions continued. In the hinterland of Sardinia, the Roman authorities showed a clear interest in the management of agricultural resources, but without any serious effort to support the formation of urban centers. Only between the late first century BCE and the early first century CE did some inland sites assume urban or quasi-urban features. These sites are typically small and lack monumental architecture, with the notable exception of Aquae Hypsitanae/Forum Traiani.
