Camps, campaigns, colonies : Roman military presence in Anatolia, Mesopotamia, and the Near East : selected studies

Owing to the threat posed by the Parthian state, and later the Sasanid state, defence of the eastern border of the Roman Empire demanded the presence of considerable military forces. In this respect, Anatolia, Mesopotamia and the Near East were particularly significant in Rome's defensive policy. Numerous military camps were situated in this region, from which the Romans undertook military expeditions against their eastern neighbour. The outcomes of the long-term presence of a large number of Roman army units there included settlement of veterans in both the colonies and the cities of the region. The volume contains a selection of studies by Edward Dabrowa published over several decades concerning certain aspects of the presence of the Roman army in the East. These concern issues related to Roman military camps and campaigns as well as military colonisation in the post-Hadrian period in Mesopotamia, Syria and Judaea. The existence of this colonisation has long been questioned by many scholars. The studies in this book present arguments showing that such colonisation did take place, albeit on a limited scale. It was used on a larger scale mostly by emperors from the Severan dynasty, but also later ones, at least until the mid-third century CE, as a means of urbanisation of these areas. Owing to the threat posed by the Parthian state, and later the Sasanid state, defence of the eastern border of the Roman Empire demanded the presence of considerable military forces. In this respect, Anatolia, Mesopotamia and the Near East were particularly significant in Rome?s defensive policy. Numerous military camps were situated in this region, from which the Romans undertook military expeditions against their eastern neighbour. The outcomes of the long-term presence of a large number of Roman army units there included settlement of veterans in both the colonies and the cities of the region.0The volume contains a selection of studies by Edward Dabrowa published over several decades concerning certain aspects of the presence of the Roman army in the East. These concern issues related to Roman military camps and campaigns as well as military colonisation in the post-Hadrian period in Mesopotamia, Syria and Judaea. The existence of this colonisation has long been questioned by many scholars. The studies in this book present arguments showing that such colonisation did take place, albeit on a limited scale. It was used on a larger scale mostly by emperors from the Severan dynasty, but also later ones, at least until the mid-third century CE, as a means of urbanisation of these areas. Table of Contents Preface Abbreviations I. Camps The Roman Army in Syria under Augustus and Tiberius La garnison romaine à Doura-Europos II. Campaigns “. . . ostentasse Romana arma satis . . .” The Roman Army in Action in Judaea (4 BCE–66 CE) The “Camp of the Assyrians” and the Third Wall of Jerusalem The Bellum Commagenicum and the ornamenta triumphalia of M. Ulpius Traianus Naval Operations during Persian Expedition of Emperor Julian (363 AD) III. Colonies Colonial Coinage and Religious Life of Roman Colon Les colonies honoraires ou les colonies de vétérans? Le vexillum sur les monnaies coloniales (IIe – IIIe s. ap. J.-C.) Roman Military Colonization in Anatolia and the Near East (2nd–3rd c. AD) Les colonies et la colonisation romaine en Anatolie et au Proche-Orient(IIe – IIIe s. de n. è.) : nouvelles observations La legio III Gallica, la colonisation militaire et les Sévères Military Colonization in the Near East and Mesopotamia under the Severi Veterans and the Urban Policy of Roman Emperors Bibliography Index of Names Index of Places Index of Sources