Fields in Forest Roman Land Division Between Siscia and Andautonia Through LIDAR Data Analysis

This study investigates the Roman land division system, centuriation, using LIDAR data and historical data to understand the landscape during the Roman period, in this case between Roman cities such as Siscia and Andautonia. LIDAR data analysis provided evidence of the preservation of Roman centuriation system in present day forest Turopoljski lug. The azimuth suggests that the centuriation aligns with Siscia's ager, while the precise territorial limits between the two agers remain unclear. Additionally, the orientation of Siscia's streets and the alignment of modern roads like Zagrebačka street suggest continuity of Roman road systems. The research also sheds light on the agricultural nature of the region, challenging traditional views of Turopolje as a swampy, forested area. The presence of Roman-era drainage systems and the re-evaluation of the historical landscape indicate that the region was actively cultivated. The study also discusses the abandonment of the centuriation system after the Roman period and its subsequent transformation into forested land. Future research should focus on the exact borders between the agers of Siscia and Andautonia, and the ongoing influence of Roman land divisions on later historical landscapes. This is the first time that centuriation grid was discovered in the continental part of Croatia.