Publisher's Synopsis
In April 2004 a conference on Late Antique hilltop settlements was organised in Freiburg im Breisgau to mark excavations at such sites, in the Black Forest by the University of Freiburg and in North Italy by the University of Munich. In more than 20 contributions scholars from 10 countries presented the results of their own excavations in Late Antique and Early Medieval hilltop settlements, identifying similarities and differences. Not in every prehistorical or historical period were hilltops used as refuges or- since they were highly visible- for representational purposes, and these comparative studies were intended to analyse the military, political and social backgrounds. The results are presented in this volume together with a supplementary commentary.
