A Roman cadastre is a particular form of land allotment which looks like a chequerboard. It was implemented by the Romans in regions throughout the Empire, from Syria to Gaul. Yet, how did a Roman cadastre exactly look like? What has Roman cadastration in common with centuriatio and parcellation, and what not? Are aerial photographs and maps a reliable source to reveal traces of a Roman cadastre? Did Roman cadastres exist outside the Mediterranean region, and if so, what are the consequences of its existence on a socio-cultural level? Behind these apparently straightforward questions are for most scholars simple definitive answers. On the basis of these answers scholars have regarded the archaeological study of Roman cadastres often as optimistic, biased and even unscientific. In Cadastres, Misconceptions and Northern Gaul Rick Bonnie argues that during the Middle-Roman period a cadastre was implemented by the Romans around the provincial Roman city of Tongres. In contrast to general beliefs, Bonnie ...