Enhanced Accessibility to Sullan Ballistic Impact Traces in Pompeii: Digital Documentation and Morphometric Analysis

Pompeii preserves rare traces of ballistic marks on the stone ashlars of its northern fortification system, traditionally attributed to the Sullan siege of 89 BC. Although mentioned in the literature, these features have never been systematically documented through metric analysis. This study presents the first georeferenced morphometric dataset of circular cavities along the northern walls using reality-based 3D surveying and reverse-modelling techniques. A multiscale workflow allows the preliminary scoring and identification of potential ballistic imprints, their spatial cataloging, the selection of representative case studies for high-resolution acquisition, and subsequent geometric analysis. By treating each cavity as a geometric constraint, the analysis estimates Maximum Compatible Sphere values for the theoretical impacting projectiles and enables preliminary comparison with known calibers of Roman artillery ammunition.