La città e le mura etrusche di Bettona

This contribution reassesses the Etruscan fortification walls of Bettona within the broader context of the formation and definition of ancient urban space. The analysis of the surviving remains, the topography, and the available historical evidence suggests that the walls should be understood not simply as a defensive structure, but as a key element through which the community articulated and represented its political, civic, and sacred space. Particular attention is paid to the question of chronology, which may plausibly be placed between the late fourth and the third century BC, while allowing for the possibility of more than one building phase. The contribution also explores the relationship between the ancient circuit and the later medieval layout of the settlement, which appears to have preserved, to a considerable extent, the earlier configuration and boundaries.