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396 Roman forts that historians didn't even know existed.
An analysis of declassified photos taken by spy satellites during the Cold War has led to the discovery of many Roman forts in the deserts of Syria and Iraq. This discovery refuted the previously dominant ideas about the borders of ancient Rome in the Middle East.
Until recently, historians only knew of about 100 Roman forts in the region, mostly dating back to the second and third centuries A.D. It was believed that these forts served as a defensive line against the Persian threat and nomadic tribes.
However, a recent article in Antiquity magazine, based on images taken by the American CORONA and HEXAGON satellites between 1960 and 1986, offers a completely different view of the situation.
According to Jesse Kasana, an archaeologist at Dartmouth College and lead author of the study, the previous idea of forts as border defenses is wrong.
The discovered forts apparently served as hubs for caravan trading, troop movement, and communications. Instead of serving as barricades, they were strategically placed to ensure the movement of people and goods.
The idea of a fortified Roman border in the Middle East was largely based on the work of Antoine Poidebar, a pioneering archaeologist and pilot. However, Kasana claims that the Poidebar study encountered a significant distortion of the results.
Using detailed images taken from the CORONA and HEXAGON satellites, some 400 additional potential Roman forts have been identified. These forts were located on a huge territory, which casts doubt on the idea of a fixed border.
Rocco Palermo, an archaeologist at Bryn Mawr College, stressed that the eastern border of the Roman Empire was different. Jesse Kasana also highlighted the historical inefficiency of building giant walls to protect against the "outside world."
An analysis of declassified photos taken by spy satellites during the Cold War has led to the discovery of many Roman forts in the deserts of Syria and Iraq. This discovery refuted the previously dominant ideas about the borders of ancient Rome in the Middle East.
Until recently, historians only knew of about 100 Roman forts in the region, mostly dating back to the second and third centuries A.D. It was believed that these forts served as a defensive line against the Persian threat and nomadic tribes.
However, a recent article in Antiquity magazine, based on images taken by the American CORONA and HEXAGON satellites between 1960 and 1986, offers a completely different view of the situation.
According to Jesse Kasana, an archaeologist at Dartmouth College and lead author of the study, the previous idea of forts as border defenses is wrong.
The discovered forts apparently served as hubs for caravan trading, troop movement, and communications. Instead of serving as barricades, they were strategically placed to ensure the movement of people and goods.
The idea of a fortified Roman border in the Middle East was largely based on the work of Antoine Poidebar, a pioneering archaeologist and pilot. However, Kasana claims that the Poidebar study encountered a significant distortion of the results.
Using detailed images taken from the CORONA and HEXAGON satellites, some 400 additional potential Roman forts have been identified. These forts were located on a huge territory, which casts doubt on the idea of a fixed border.
Rocco Palermo, an archaeologist at Bryn Mawr College, stressed that the eastern border of the Roman Empire was different. Jesse Kasana also highlighted the historical inefficiency of building giant walls to protect against the "outside world."
