The Ditch and the House. Megara Hyblaia by the early 7th c. BC.

<ns3:p>Background Megara Hyblaia, a Greek colony founded in the third quarter of the 8th century BC on Sicily’s eastern coast, exemplifies early Western Greek urbanism. The city flourished until 483 BC, when it was depopulated by Gelo of Syracuse. By the early 7th century BC—about two generations after its foundation—Megara had likely reached its maximum intramural size of approximately 60 hectares. This study focuses on that formative phase to evaluate whether the community possessed the resources to undertake two key construction projects: the first city fortification and residential expansion. Methods Archaeological evidence shows that residential structures, initially limited to the agora, spread across the Southern Plateau and toward the Archaic Western Gate by the early 7th century BC. This urban spread correlates with the construction of the city’s earliest defensive structure, an “agger-wall” comprising a ditch, wall, and earthen bank. Though the exact chronology is uncertain, stratigraphic and architectural analysis places its construction early in the 7th century BC. The article investigates the feasibility of these projects using two case studies: the agger-wall and the house on plot 113W4, a well-preserved pastas-type dwelling dated to the first quarter of the 7th century. Using data from stratigraphic excavation, 3D modelling, Building Information Modelling (BIM), and architectural energetics, the study estimates construction time and labour requirements. Results Findings suggest that the second-generation population could have built both the fortifications and sufficient housing within a year, without disrupting agriculture or essential tasks. The study also highlights the potential of digital tools in heritage research. Conclusions This study evaluates the feasibility of early construction projects at Megara Hyblaia, revealing that 7th-century BC inhabitants likely had sufficient labor for fortifications and housing. It also highlights the promise and limitations of BIM tools in reconstructing ancient architecture and informing future digital heritage research.</ns3:p>