LATERES COCTILES is a cross disciplinary project where network analysis and statistical methods are applied to an archaeological material in conjunction with more traditional contextual and historical approaches. The aim is twofold. The purpose has been to elucidate the extent and character of the earliest use of fired bricks in Europe, over a time span corresponding roughly to the Hellenistic period, but also to use this material as a case study in an attempt to reach a better understanding of the mechanisms of diffusion of innovations in antiquity.