How did the Roman villa complex of Hoogeloon develop in the relatively poor and peripheral hinterland of the Lower Rhine? In this volume, leading specialists in the field offer a multidimensional perspective on the social dynamics that led to the villa's creation, including the central role played by military and urban networks and native social structures. The essays here examine everything from town and country relations and monetization to the agrarian economy of the region and the ethnic identity of the inhabitants. Shining new light on this key site and the integration of marginal areas in the Roman Empire, this book is essential reading for anyone interested in a comparative analysis of the Roman countryside. Contributors: Joris Aarts, Wim de Clercq, Guido Creemers, Ton Derks, Maaike Groot, Diederick Habermehl, Stijn Heeren, Henk Hiddink, Laura Kooistra, Fabienne Pigière, Nico Roymans, Alain Vanderhoeven, Julie van Kerckhove