Articles by Marco Montanari

The project features the creation of a webGIS containing heterogeneous data about entertainment buildings in the whole Roman Empire: stadiums, circuses, theaters, and amphitheaters. Information available in earlier studies have been integrated with more recent historical information, modern maps, and satellite data. This geo-database of the Roman structures gives access to information such as localization, name, country, if there are any archaeological remains and if the monument is still visible. The results of the presented work are useful to 1) analyze the relationship between buildings and surrounding lands, 2) perform advanced hypothesis about the accessibility to the structures or the role of these type of buildings in the urbanistic context, 3) understand relationship between entertainment and society and 4) identify concentrations of structures in certain regions. This research is mostly focused on the study of satellite images, published and historical sources. A substantial level of attention has been dedicated to the reusability and availability of the collected data.

Public history and participatory history initiatives are rapidly gaining momentum as they aim to democratize the historical narrative, involving communities and individuals in shaping their own historical experiences. This paper introduces a novel approach to these accomplishments by harnessing the power of the Social Simulacra Model. The model offers an innovative and participatory framework for public history projects, enabling individuals to actively engage with and contribute to historical narratives. By integrating the Social Simulacra Model into public history, this paper seeks to transform the traditional approach to historical storytelling. This model facilitates the creation of immersive, interactive historical simulations that enable participants to become part of the historical landscape. It fosters a deeper connection between individuals and the past by allowing them to take on roles, explore social dynamics, and make decisions within historical contexts. This paper also illustrates the potential of the Social Simulacra Model in enriching public history and participatory history projects by offering a new dimension of engagement and interaction with the past. It paves the way for a more inclusive, engaging, and participatory approach to historical storytelling, bridging the gap between academic history and public engagement.

This paper presents a transformative approach that allows for the utilization of existing 3D models from diverse sources within a geographic context. It introduces the concept of external metadata, which describes these models, making them searchable, accessible, and seamlessly intergrated in webGIS environments using Three.js and MapLibre GL. This paper addresses the demand for the reuse of three-dimensional data representation in the geospatial domain and acknowledges the wealth of 3D models available from various sources. By introducing a standardized metadata schema, it establishes a structured framework for the incorporation of these models into webGIS systems. A central theme of this work is the development of a metadata standard that acts as a bridge between 3D models and webGIS environments granting it all information that can be used to correctly locate, scale and orient the models. It enables efficient searching, rendering, and utilization of these models within geographic contexts. Leveraging MapLibre GL JS and Three.js, the paper showcases how external metadata can significantly enhance the integration of 3D models into webGIS, thereby fostering a more versatile and comprehensive geospatial data exploration experience.