Staff profile

I took my first degrees in Turin and at the "Scuola di Specializzazione" at the University La Sapienza - Rome. I then completed my PhD at the University of Leicester. I have worked on several excavations in central and southern Italy and in North Africa, in particular in Carthage (Tunisia) and in Libya (Fazzan). I worked at the University of Oxford as research assistant to the Professor of Roman Archaeology, where I developed my interest in the topography of Rome. My research and publications focus on the problems related to the evolution of North African cities from Late Antiquity to the Arab conquest and to issues of the economy of te Maditerranean between the 6th and the 9th c.Since 2014 I have been actively working for the documentation and protection of Heritage in Conflict and in Denger, with a specific focus on Libya and Tunisia. I am currently preparing for publication an excavation done in the '70s in Syria (Dibsi Faraj) of a fortified citadel occupied from the 1st-3rd c. AD to the 10th c.; the first volume of the fieldwork conducted at Iunca (Tunisia).

Roman Archeology
My interests in Roman Archaeology focus on different aspects.
In Rome I have co-directed with Dr. D. Palombi (Università La Sapienza) the project at the villa dei Gordiani along the via Prenestina.
I am also interested in architecture and statuary. In particular I have published two papers on the cult of Mercury Sober in the city of Rome and a study of the statuary group of the Dioscuroi found in Cori (South Latium). Studying several fragments I proposed a reconstruction of the statuary group (now visible at the Museum of Cori). In my recent book "The End of the Pagan City" I also considered the fate of statuary and building material after the closure of temples. Recently my research has focused on recycling and spolia.

Pottery
I have been working for a long time and published several articles on Roman pottery in Rome, Italy and North Africa. I have a good knowledge of all the classes of pottery that circulated in the Mediterranean from the Republican period to the 7th/8th century AD and beyond. I am interested in all the aspects related to the pottery studies (economy, trade, consumption, problems of chronologies etc.). I have however experience on the study of a number of artefacts, including glass, marble decoratioons.

Roman,Byzantine and early Arab Urbanism
My interest on this aspect started with my PhD, that I have now published. The principal aim of the book was to examine the complex sequence of transition in the selected provinces of Zeugitana, Byzacena and Tripolitana of late Roman North Africa. The general analysis (based on historical sources, epigraphy and archaeological evidence) focuses on transitions in town and country and economy from Roman to Vandal and to Byzantine rule and observing patterns and facets of continuity and change. The period in question from AD 300 to AD 700, spans more that political transitions: it sees the adoption of Christianity (during the Las Imperial period and the Byzantine times), the Vandal rule and the adoption of Arianism and the Arab/Muslim imposition. It is also a period of archaeological and material transition: towns and economic system change, public structures (but not churches) decay. I have analysed how classical towns changed through centuries, how building were reused and progressively transformed.
I am currently working on the publication of the excavation of the Fortified citadel of Dibsi Faraj (Syria). The very rich and important site was excavated in the '70s under the direction of Richard Harper. The archive of the excavation and numerous finds are now at Durham University. The site was occupiedfrom the 1st- 3rd century into probably the 10th c. AD, the most important phase of occupation dates to the Byzantine period with the construction of two churches. I am directing fieldwork at the site of Iunca in Tunisia, and I am currently co-directing a project for the documentation and conservation of sites and monuments in Tataouine and the Nafusa.

Paganism and Christianity
My last book published in 2013 by Oxford University Press, The End of the Pagan City, focuses primarily on the end of the pagan religious tradition and the dismantling of its material form in North Africa (modern Algeria, Tunisia, and Libya) from the 4th to the 6th centuries AD. It considers how urban communities changed, why some traditions were lost and some others continued, and whether these carried the same value and meaning upon doing so. Addressing two main issues, mainly from an archaeological perspective, the volume explores the change in religious habits and practices, and the consequent recycling and reuse of pagan monuments and materials, and investigates to what extent these physical processes were driven by religious motivations and contrasts, or were merely stimulated by economic issues.

Landscape
My interests in landscape archaeology started from my PhD, where I looked at the transformation of the countryside from Late Antiquity to the Arab conquest. I am currently focussing on the clergy and the progressive acquisition of estates and properties by the Clergy and the rise of the Church as an economic and secular power. I am also particularly interested in looking at the transformations occurred in rural villas in Late Antiquity and early medieval period.

I am currently working on the heritage proetection in conflict zones. I have conducted with Lisa Mol the first ever conducted evaluation of the impact of bullets on the Roman Theatre of Sabratha (Sabratha Heritage Protection | HeritageinCrossfire (heritageinthecrossfire.com). I have lead the project "Training in Action" between 2017 and 2019 for the training and management of sites and monuments in Libya and Tunisia (Training in Action – From Documentation to Protection of Cultural Heritage in Libya and Tunisia). I am about to start a new project for the presevtation, recording and conservation of the traditional archtecture in the Gebel Nafusa (LIbya) and Tataouine (Tunisia). Results of the project will be part of the new plans of the Department of Antiquities to create a complete archive of the archaeological remains on the territory. The project will combine interpretation of satellite images, landscape extensive survey and GIS recording, as well as geophysical investigation and stratigraphic analysis and recording of the standing structures 

Work to prevent looting and illicit traffic

I am currently leading a project which include the creation of an app for fast recording of archaeological objets on site and in storerooms. the project is currently piloted in Libya.

Research Students
I have supervised students working on: the rural sanctuaries of Syria, the 3rd century crisis in Egypt, the Pithais in Classical and Roman Greece, The fate of Statuary in Late Antique and Byzantine Cyprus, churches in Israel, Petra, private Architecture and its decoration in Late Antique Greece, Water and Christianity in Isreal, The Arab expansion in Cyrenaica. If you have any idea for a PhD research that you want to discuss with me, feel free to email me.

• Archaeology in North Africa
• Late Antique urbanism in North Africa and the near East
• Roman Economy
• Roman and Byzantine pottery
• Roman, Byzantine Sicily
• Topography of Rome

• 2017: member of the Scientific Committe:

  Member of the conseil scientifique de la collection de monographie que le laboratoire en sciences de l’Antiquité (AOROC) de l’Ecole Normale Supérieure et du CNRS vient d’ouvrir aux éditions Hermann à Paris (collection « Histoire et archéologie »).

• 2017: member of the Scientific Committe:

  Member of the scientific council of the journal Cartagine/ Studi e Ricerche http://ojs.unica.it/index.php/caster/

• 2015: Editor of the Academic Journal - Libyan Studies:
• 2012: Invited speaker to the Conference on the 8th century: The End of Late Antiquity?- Oxford All Souls College:
• 2011: Invited speaker on 'Vandal Evergetism in North Africa' at the Conference 'Rulers and the Patronage of Buildings in the 5th- and 6th-century Mediterranean' at the Oxford Centre for Late Antiquity:
• 2011: Invited speaker on 'Recycling statues in Late Antique North Africa' at the Conference 'Recycling the Roman Wolrd' at The University of Manitoba (Canada):
• 2009: Members of the Council of the Society for Libyan Studies(http://www.britac.ac.uk/institutes/libya/):

Authored book

• Leone, A. (2013). The End of the Pagan City. Religion, Economy and Urbanism in Late Antique North Africa. Oxford University Press
• Leone, A. (2007). Changing Townscapes in North Africa from Late Antiquity to the Arab conquest. Edipuglia

Chapter in book

• Leone, A. (2021). Fora in Late Antique and Byzantine North Africa: from the Classical to the Medieval City. In X. Dupuis, V. Fauvinet-Ranson, C. J. Goddard, & H. Inglebert (Eds.), L'automne de l'Afrique romaine: Hommages à Claude Lepelley (117-131). Éditions Hermann. https://doi.org/10.3917/herm.godda.2021.01.0118
• Leone, A. (2018). Urban decor and public spaces in late antique North Africa. In S. Panzram, & L. Callegarin (Eds.), Entre civitas y madīna. El mundo de las ciudades en la Península Ibérica y en el norte de África (siglos IV‑IX) (379-391). Casa de Velázquez
• Leone, A. (2016). Tracing the Donatist Presence in North Africa: An Archaeological Perspective. In R. Miles (Ed.), The Donatist schism : controversy and contexts (317-344). Liverpool University Press
• Leone, A. (2013). Pottery from the FP project excavation in Jarma. In D. Mattingly, C. Daniels, J. Dore, D. Edwards, A. Leone, & D. Thomas (Eds.), The Archaeology of Fazzān : volume 4, survey and excavations at Old Jarma (Ancient Garama) carried out by C. M. Daniels (1962-69) and the Fazzān Project (1997-2001) (325-408). Society for Libyan Studies / Department of Antiquities, London
• Leone, A., & Moussa, F. (2012). Roman North Africa and Sahara. In P. Lane, & P. Michell (Eds.), Oxford handbook of African Archaeology. Oxford University Press
• Mattingly, D., HAwthorne, J., Daniels, C., from, W. C., Dore, J., Leone, A., & Cole, F. (2010). Excavations at the Classic Garamantian Settlement of Saniat Jibril. In D. Mattingly (Ed.), The Archaeology of Fazzan. Vol. 3, Excavations of C.M. Daniels. The Society for Lybian Studies
• Edwards, D., Mattingly, D., Daniels, C., from, C., Dore, J., & Leone, A. (2010). Excavations and survey at Tinda, al Khara'iq and Ikhlif Escarpment Settlements. In D. Mattingly (Ed.), The Archaeology of Fazzan. Vol. 3, Excavations of C.M. Daniels. Society for Libyan Studies
• Hawthorne, J., Mattingly, D., Daniels, C., from, C., Barnett, T., Dore, J., & Leone, A. (2010). Zinkekra: an Early Garamantian Escarpement Settlement and Associated Sites. In D. Mattingly (Ed.), The Archaeology of Fazzan. Vol. 3, Excavations of C.M. Daniels (19-84). Society for Libyan Studies
• Edwards, D., Mattingly, D., Daniels, C., from, C., Dore, J., & Leone, A. (2010). Excavations of other Garamantian Cemeteries and Burials. In D. Mattingly (Ed.), The Archaeology of Fazzan. Vol. 3, Excavations of C.M. Daniels. Society for Libyan Studies
• Mattingly, D., Hawthorne, J., Daniels, C., from, C., Dore, J., Leone, A., …Tagart, C. (2010). The Garamantian Cemetery of Saniat Bin Huwaydi. In D. Mattingly (Ed.), The Archaeology of Fazzan. Vol. 3, Excavations of C.M. Daniels. Society for Libyan Studies
• Leone, A. (2007). Changing Urban Landscapes: Burials in North African Cities from the Late Antique to Byzantine periods. In D. Stone, & L. Stirling (Eds.), Mortuary Landscape in North Africa. Toronto University Press
• Dore, J., Leone, A., & Hawthorne, J. (2007). Section 41. The Pottery Type Series. In D. Mattingly, C. Daniels, J. Dore, D. Edwards, & J. Hawthorne (Eds.), The archaeology of Fazzan ; site gazetteer, pottery and other survey finds (305-431). Society for Libyan Studies
• Leone, A., Witcher, R., Privitera, F., & Spigo, U. (2007). The Upper Simeto Valley Poject. An interim report of the first season. In M. Fitzjohn (Ed.), Understanding Upland Landscapes: Interdisciplinary Investigations of Sicily. (Accordia Specialist Study on Italy). Accordia Research Institute
• Leone, A. (2007). Christianity and Paganism, IV: North Africa. In A. Casiday, & F. Norris (Eds.), The Cambridge History of Christianity.2. Constantine to c.600 (231-247). Cambridge University Press
• Leone, A., & Mattingly, D. (2004). Vandal, Byzantine and Arab Rural Landscapes in North Africa. In N. Christie (Ed.), Landscapes of change : rural evolutions in late antiquity and the early middle ages (135-162). Ashgate Publishing
• Leone, A. (2003). Topographies of production in the cities of late antique North Africa. In L. Lavan, & W. Bowden (Eds.), Theory and practice in late antique archaeology (257-287). Brill Academic Publishers
• Leone, A. (2000). Darius rex a Nemi. In J. R. Brandt, A. Leander Touati, & J. Zahle (Eds.), Nemi - Satus Quo. Recent Research at Nemi and Sanctuary of Diana (29-34). L' Erma Di Bretschneider
• Leone, A. (1999). Change or no Change? Revised Perceptions of Urban Transformation in Late Antiquity. In P. Baker, C. Forcey, S. Jundi, & R. Witcher (Eds.), TRAC 98:Proceedings of the Eighth Annual Theoretical Roman Archaeology Conference, Leicester 1998 (121-130). Oxbow Books. https://doi.org/10.16995/trac1998_121_130
• Leone, A. (1999). I manufatti Greci e Romani nel museo del Cairo. In F. Tiradritti (Ed.), La Collezione del Museo del Cairo (488-409). White Star
• Leone, A. (1997). Terrecotte dell’Egitto Greco-Romano. In Enciclopedia dell’Arte Antica Classica e Orientale
• Cartagine, 15 -18 dicembre 1994 (1371 - 1383). Il Torchietto

Conference Paper

• (2013). Cities and Gods: Religious Space in Transition. In T. Kaizer, A. Leone, E. Thomas, & R. Witcher (Eds.), Cities and gods : religious space in transition (1-4)

Edited book

• Leone, A. (Ed.). (in press). Life on the Middle Euphrates Frontier: The Dibsi Faraj excavation. Dumbarton Oaks
• Bockmann, R., Leone, A., & Von Rummell, P. (Eds.). (2020). Africa – Ifriqiya. Continuity and Change in North Africa from the Byzantine to the Early Islamic Age. Deutsches Archaologisches Institut
• Kaizer, T., Leone, A., Thomas, E., & Witcher, R. (Eds.). (2012). Cities and Gods: Religious Spaces in Transition. BABESCH
• Leone, A., Palombi, D., & Walker, S. (Eds.). (2007). Res Bene Gestae. Ricerche di storia urbana su Roma antica in onore di Eva Margareta Steinby. QUASAR

Journal Article

• Winterbottom, T., Leone, A., & Al Moubayed, N. (2022). A deep learning approach to fight illicit trafficking of antiquities using artefact instance classification. Scientific Reports, 12(1), Article 13468. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-15965-2
• Leone, A., Wootton, W., Fenwick, C., Nebbia, M., Alkhalaf, H., Jorayev, G., …Voke, P. (2020). An integrated methodology for the documentation and protection of cultural heritage in the MENA region: a case study from Libya and Tunisia. Libyan Studies, 51, 141-168. https://doi.org/10.1017/lis.2020.11
• Leone, A., & Sarantis, A. (2020). The Middle Euphrates and its Transformation from the 3rd to the 7th c.: The case of Dibsi Faraj. Journal of Late Antiquity, 13(2), 308-351
• Nebbia, N., Leone, A., Bockmann, R., Hddad, M., Abdouli, H., Masoud, A., …Khatab, M. (2016). Developing a Collaborative Strategy to Manage and Preserve Cultural Heritage During the Libyan Conflict. The Case of the Gebel Nāfusa. Journal of Archaeological Method and Theory, 23(4), 971-988. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10816-016-9299-6
• Leone, A. (2012). Water Management in Late Antique North Africa: Agricultural Irrigation. Water History, 4(1), 119-133. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12685-012-0052-0
• Leone, A. (2012). Bishops and Territory: The case of Late Roman and Byzantine North Africa. Dumbarton Oaks papers, 65-66(2011-2012), 5-27
• Leone, A., & Palombi, D. (2008). Mercurio Sobrio tra Africa e Roma. Archeologia classica (Testo stampato), 59(9), 409-433
• Palomnbi, D., & Leone, A. (2007). Il gruppo statuario dei Dioscuri dal tempio del foro di Cori. Con un’appendice di Attanasio, Donato: Analisi chimico-fisica e provenienza del marmo del gruppo dei Dioscuri. Mitteilungen des Deutschen Archaeologischen Instituts. Roemische Abteilung, 113(1), 339-442
• Leone, A. (2006). Clero, proprietà, cristianizzazione delle campagne nel nord Africa tardoantico: status quaestionis. Antiquité tardive, 14, 93-104. https://doi.org/10.1484/j.at.2.302424
• Zevi, F., Geremia, R., Leone, A., & Moreschini, L. (2005). OSTIA - Sondaggio Stratigrafico in uno degli ambienti della domus dei Pesci (1995-1996). Atti della Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei. Notizie degli scavi di antichità (Testo stampato), 15-16, 9-310
• Leone, A. (2003). Late Antique North Africa: Production and Changing use of Buildings in Urban Areas. Al-Masāq: Journal of the Medieval Mediterranean, 15(1), 21-33. https://doi.org/10.1080/0950311032000057103
• Leone, A. (2003). L’inumazione in 'spazio urbano' a Cartagine tra V e VII secolo D.C. Antiquité tardive, 10, 233-248. https://doi.org/10.1484/j.at.2.300439
• Geremia Nucci, R., & Leone, A. (2003). Ostia – Sondaggio nella Domus dei Pesci. Dati preliminari sullo scavo esul materiale ceramico. Rei Cretariae Romanae Fautorum acta, 38, 63-67
• Leone, A. (2002). Pratiche funerarie nelle città Nord Africane: limiti e prospettive per una ricerca
• Mattingly, D., Brooks, N., Cole, F., Dore, J., Drake, N., Leone, A., …White, K. (2001). The Fezzan Project 2001: Preliminary report on the fifth season of work. Libyan Studies, 32, 133-153
• Mattingly, D., Leone, A., & Al, E. (2000). The Fezzan Project 2000: preliminary report on the fourth season of work. Libyan Studies, 31, 103-120
• Mattingly, D., Leone, A., & Al, E. (1998). The Fezzan Project 1998: preliminary report on the second season of work. Libyan Studies, 29, 115-144
• Leone, A. (1995). Nuove acquisizioni sul tempio di Medinet Madi: un ritratto idealizzato di Principe tardo-tolemaico
• Leone, A. (1994). “L’orientalizzazione del culto nel Santuario di Nemi e Caligola: una proposta di lettura delle fonti e delle strutture