Spolia et Hispania: alcuni esempi Peninsulari

Progressive loss of Roman utilitarian buildings and public complexes, as well as their later reuse were one of the essential features of the urban transformation during Late Antiquity. The phenomenon that followed this process was the spoliation of both constructive and decorative materials. In Roman Hispania the reuse of public buildings affected most of the mainland cities, especially from the 4^th c. The emergence of this practice can be traced in the weakening of the local institutions and the administration, but mostly in the rise of Christianity. The new religion stimulated building activities, which resulted in dismantling of the ancient buildings for the construction of new ones. Although the spoliation is easy to identify, it raises many questions. With the aim to answer some of them, and to identify possible common characteristics of the same process that later lead to the emergence of the medieval town, the authors give an overview and the interpretation of the important examples of spolia in Hispania.