Editing Lavinium (section)

==Archaeology==
Pratica di Mare is observably smaller than ancient Lavinium, whose remains crop out in the surrounding fields. Recent archaeological excavations performed to the south date Lavinium to well before the legendary foundation of Rome. It was already fortified in the 7th century BC and flourishing in the 6th.<ref>Christopher John Smith, ''Early Rome and Latium: Economy and Society c. 1000 to 500 BC'' (Oxford University Press) 1996:134; [[Mario Torelli]], ''Lavinio e Roma. Riti iniziatici e matrimonio tra archeologia e storia''</ref> Lavinium was assimilated by Republican Rome. It was connected to Rome in the north and [[Ardea (RM)|Ardea]] to the south by the [[Via Laurentina]]. Under the empire it was combined with the mysterious [[Laurentum]], where many wealthy Romans maintained a winter villa, to become ''Laurolavinium''. The nature of the union remains ambiguous.

A number of [[kiln]]s have been identified within the perimeter of the city walls. Outside the city was a sanctuary dedicated to [[Sol (Roman mythology)|Sol Indiges]] and a vast sanctuary with numerous altars, where the bronze inscribed plaque records that the [[Dioscuri]] were being venerated at one of numerous altars.<ref name="Smith 1996">Smith 1996.</ref>

[[File:Ex voto Lavinium.jpg|thumb|Ex voto statues in the museum at Lavinium]]