Spokane Society of the Archaeological Institute of America (AIA) Lecture
Thursday, March 19, 2026
6:30 pm - Lecture, 6:00 wine social
MAC Auditorium or Zoom Meeting (Meeting ID - 841 2068 4037; Passcode: 004215)
Free and open to the public
March Lecture - Horace and Rodolfo Construct the Esquiline: Examining Garbage and Graves at Rome and Beyond
Archaeologist Rodolfo Lanciani's vivid account of Esquiline Hill (one of the 7 hills in Rome) was likely influenced by Roman poet Horace and fixed the idea of mass graves and urban waste in modern views of ancient Rome. This talk challenges that image and argues that Horace described a modest cemetery that shared space with refuse, not puticuli. Broader archaeological evidence shows that simple burials in suburban dumps were common and acceptable, offering new insight into how Romans understood extramural spaces.
Dr. Kevin Dicus, University of Oregon Eugene
The Spokane Chapter of the AIA is proud to provide a lecture series from September - April on various archaeological topics. The AIA promotes archaeological inquiry and public understanding of the material record of the human past to foster an appreciation of diverse cultures and our shared humanity. Find out more about the Archaeological Institute of America here.