Frontiers of the Roman Empire – serie

The Roman military remains of Egypt are remarkable in their variety and state of preservation: forts, quarries whose materials were used in the monumental buildings of Rome, roads which brought the Mediterranean into contact with the Indian Ocean; each reader of this book will enjoy learning more about the remarkable Roman inheritance of Egypt.

The Antonine Wall lay at the very extremity of the Roman world. For a generation, in the middle of the second century AD, it was the north-west frontier of the Roman empire. Furthermore, it was one of only three “artificial” frontiers along the European boundaries of the empire: the other two are Hadrian’s Wall and the German Limes.Although the Antonine Wall fits into the general pattern of Roman frontiers, in many ways it was the most developed frontier in Europe, with certain distinct characteristics. Perhaps of greatest significance is the survival of the collection of Roman military sculpture, the Distance Slabs. These record the lengths constructed by each legion and their relationship to the labour camps allow further conclusions to be made about the work of constructing the Antonine Wall.

The Roman frontier in Lower Germany was one of the earliest to be created; surviving into the early 5th century, it illustrates the whole range of Roman military installations. The Rhine delta boasts incredible organic remains including ships while upstream are great military bases supported by forts and fortlets.

The frontiers of the Roman empire together form the largest monument of one of the world’s greatest states. They stretch for some 7,500km through 20 countries which encircle the Mediterranean Sea. The remains of these frontiers have been studied by visitors and later by archaeologists for several centuries. Many of the inscriptions and sculpture, weapons, pottery and artefacts created and used by the soldiers and civilians who lived on the frontier can be seen in museums. Equally evocative of the lost might of Rome are the physical remains of the frontiers themselves. The aim of this series of books is not only to inform the interested visitor about the history of the frontiers but to act as a guidebook as well.Slovakia was situated at the edge of the classical world but still was a close neighbour of the Roman Empire. The Roman influence left distinct traces not only at the territories along the frontier but also in its broader fore field.

The frontiers of the Roman empire together form the largest surviving monument of one of the world’s greatest states. They stretch for some 7,500 km through 20 countries which encircle the Mediterranean Sea. The remains of these frontiers have been studied by visitors and later by archaeologists for several centuries. Many of the inscriptions and sculpture, weapons, pottery and artefacts created and used by the soldiers and civilians who lived on the frontier can be seen in museums. Equally evocative of the lost might of Rome are the physical remains of the frontiers themselves. The aim of this series of booklets is not only to inform the interested visitor about the history of the frontiers but to act as a guidebook as well.The Roman Empire reached its near full extent during the reign of Emperor Augustus. At that time Europe, Africa, the Middle East and the entire Mediterranean were part of it. The Hungarian part of the Empire had a river frontier that was more precisely called ripa. Pannonia province existed from the occupation during the reign of Emperor Augustus to the 20s and 30s of the 5th century A.D. Its border stretched alongside the Danube and was always one of the most important European frontiers in Roman times, as it is justified by keeping a very strong defence force there, consisting of 4 legions and an average of 30 auxiliary units. Some 420 km long section of the entire Pannonian limes from Klosterneuburg (Austria) to Belgrade (Serbia) belongs to the territory of present-day Hungary.

The Roman eastern frontier stretched from the north-east shore of the Black Sea to the Red Sea. It faced Rome’s formidable foe, the kingdom of Parthia, and its successor, Sasanian Persia. Rome’s bulwark in antiquity was the area known as Syria or the Levant, roughly modern Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Israel and Palestine. To the south lay the Nabataean kingdom, annexed by Rome in 106 and formed into the province of Arabia. To the north, the Cappadocian frontier was laid out in one of the most inaccessible and remote parts of Eurasia facing extremes of climate and topography, amid a patchwork of client kingdoms. This hidden and fascinating frontier in Turkey, whose bases mostly lie under reservoirs, is the major omission from this volume and it is hoped that a more in-depth account might appear in due course. The Caucasian forts along the edge of the Black Sea are, however, part of this volume; this is perhaps Rome’s least known frontier archaeologically but the subject of a unique account by Arrian when governor of Cappadocia.

The frontiers of the Roman Empire together form the largest monument of one of the world’s greatest ancient states. They stretch for some 7,500 km through 20 countries which encircle the Mediterranean Sea. The remains of these frontiers have been studied by visitors and later by archaeologists for several centuries. Many of the inscriptions and sculptures, weapons, pottery and artefacts created and used by the soldiers and civilians who lived on the frontier can be seen in museums. Equally evocative of the lost might of Rome are the physical remains of the frontiers themselves. The aim of this series of books is not only to inform the interested visitor about the history of the frontiers but to act as a guidebook as well. Emperor Hadrian ordered the construction of the great Wall which still bears his name ‘to separate the barbarians from the Romans’ (Historia Augusta, Life of Hadrian, 11). The complex of military installations, 117 km long, but with an extension without the linear barrier for about 40 km down the west coast, contained 74 km of stone wall, 43 km of turf rampart, 200 towers, 100 fortlets, 20 forts, took years to construct and was probably still being modified when Hadrian died in July 138. This highly illustrated book offers an accessible summary of Hadrian’s Wall, and an overview of the wider context of the Roman frontiers.

The frontiers of the Roman Empire together form the largest monument of one of the world’s greatest ancient states. They stretch for some 7,500 km through 20 countries which encircle the Mediterranean Sea. The remains of these frontiers have been studied by visitors and later by archaeologists for several centuries. Many of the inscriptions and sculptures, weapons, pottery and artefacts created and used by the soldiers and civilians who lived on the frontier can be seen in museums. Equally evocative of the lost might of Rome are the physical remains of the frontiers themselves. The aim of this series of books is not only to inform the interested visitor about the history of the frontiers but to act as a guidebook as well. In this important and beautifully illustrated book, David Breeze elucidates the context of the most famous frontier, Hadrian’s Wall. The zone to north and south of the Wall was a heavily militarised landscape of roads, bridges, forts, fortlets and towers, but also the towns, settlements and supply infrastructure on which the army depended. As the invaluable gazetteer shows, the area is now rich in superb sites and museums, allowing modern people countless rich insights into the world of the soldiers and civilians of the period.

From the times of Pompeius Magnus to the period of the Persian Wars of Justinian I the Great, Roman military expeditions passed through Colchis and Iberia many times. However, the Roman Empire never permanently conquered the territory of Georgia. For this reason, diplomatic relations were also maintained with the local rulers, especially the kings of Iberia. The first centuries AD were a time of intense cultural exchange (through diplomacy and trade) between the southern Caucasus and the eastern provinces of the Roman Empire. Traces of these relations include valuable artefacts, found in elite burials and deposits, which we can see today in the Batumi Archaeological Museum, among others. This is no coincidence, as local communities living on the Black Sea coast from Trebizond to the Caucasus had particularly close relations with the Romans. These areas were also home to garrisons subordinate to the governor of the Roman province of Cappadocia.

The inextricability of the connection between the Roman limes and the lands it ran through is easily observed and there is even a regularity to be noted: some modern borders actually follow the line of the ancient defenses. At the same time there are significant differences between particular sections of the limes, resulting primarily from the topography, climate and changing strategic importance. The Bulgarian section of the limes is a perfect illustration. For a considerable distance it follows the Danube, which is at the same time the border between Bulgaria and Romania. The landform the location of major settlements at convenient river crossings, natural barriers separating the region from tribal territories and the relatively hospitable region of the Balkans all contributed to making the region north of the Haemus mons suitable for Roman urban and rural settlement, agriculture and overland commerce. The Danube was always of foremost importance. A major natural obstacle and at the same time a convenient communication route, it was easily defendable and facilitated control of trade routes, permitted quick and easy transport of goods, including army supplies, not to mention the movements of the army itself. The region was also relatively quickly Romanized, the process clearly stimulated by the presence of Roman troops transferred to the provinces mainly for the Dacian wars. Other factors of influence included civilians engaged in trade and agriculture, a rapid pacification of the local tribes and the productive coexistence of different ethnic groups, with a significant cultural input of the Greek colonies and poleis in the Black Sea littoral, which gave in effect a synthesis of different traditions, languages and cultures. Not the least in this process of cementing unity in the region was a common enemy – the Goths, Ostrogoths, Huns, Karpai and Avars to mention just a few.

The Roman military remains in North Africa are remarkable in their variety and preservation. They include towers and forts, stretches of defensive lines of stone and earth with ditches broken by gates, and roads, sitting amidst amazing scenery. Readers of this book will enjoy learning more about North Africa’s remarkable Roman inheritance.