Thresholds of resilience: climate fluctuations and human communities in mountainous Apennine landscapes

This paper explores the impact of climate fluctuations during the first millennium BC on human settlement in the central Apennines (Italy). The rugged geography of this mountain range has long shaped perceptions of these areas as marginal, liminal, and resistant to integration—landscapes where the relationship between humans and nature is dynamic and dialogical. Within such settings, climatic variability can act as a critical force in shaping adaptive strategies and the social organisation of local communities. Drawing on a wide array of paleoclimatic proxies—including pollen records, glacial cores, and alluvial sediments—this contribution aims to develop an integrated framework that connects macro-, meso-, and micro-scale environmental data with archaeological evidence for settlement and subsistence. These include hillforts and enclosures, but also road networks and pasturelands. By placing these datasets in dialogue, the aim of this paper is to identify patterns that illuminate the long-term dynamics between climate change and socio-economic transformation in mountain societies. Ultimately, this reassessment intends to shed new light on the historical trajectory of Italic communities inhabiting the Apennine interior, contributing to broader debates on resilience, environmental adaptation, and the role of climate as an active agent in shaping ancient social landscapes.