Limes Arabicus

The Limes Limes Arabicus or Orientalis was an approximately 1500 km long defense line ( Limes ) of the Roman Empire. They ran from the north of Syria to the south of Palestine, where she also had the name of Limes Palaestiniae. They did not exist - such as Hadrian's Wall - from a through fixing, but of a series of fortifications.

Importance

Were established precursor of the Limes Arabicus during the conquest of Syria by Rome in the 1st century BC, a systematic expansion began in the 2nd century AD He marked for centuries the border of the rich Roman province of Syria to the east. East of Limes Arabicus resided many seminomadische desert peoples. The Limes Arabicus noted at the time is the limit of the area of the high-yield agriculture and thus the limit of the area that was economically interesting for Rome and was able to supply soldiers. Today, the Limes Arabicus is to a large extent in pure desert. To the north the Mesopotamian frontier zone between the Roman and the Parthian - Persian power range ( the actual limit orientalis) concluded. Here numerous fortresses were built mainly in Late Antiquity.

History

The beginning of the Syrian conquests marked a campaign of generals Pompey in 64 BC In the imperial period the province of Syria was one of the wealthiest of the Empire, which aroused greed on the part of nomads, Parthians and Persians, and therefore made ​​it necessary defenses. Especially in late antiquity, when the Romans in this region faced the Persian Sassanids and dependent on these Arabs associations (especially the Lakhmids ), the number of fixtures has been increased and the existing facilities were repeatedly reinforced, I. especially under the emperors Anastasius and Justinian I. It was only with the Islamic expansion of the 7th century lost the Limes Orientalis its meaning.

Course

There were different sized fortifications, including Legionnaires, forts and watchtowers were among several hundred who were joined by the already partially applied in the Flavian period Strata Diocletiana and a secondary road network. In the desert were the twelve meter-wide dirt roads. The smaller camps were at intervals of about 30 Roman miles (1 mile is about 1482 meters ) is preferably set up on small hills.

The Limes section began in the northernmost fortress Sinjar (south of Jabal Sinjar in Iraq today ). From Sura, the late antique military camp on the Euphrates (25 km west of Ar - Raqqa near the river at the village of al - Mansura ), the limit Arabicus followed temporarily the Strata Diocletiana among other things, about the fortlet Tetrapyrgium (west of the road from the Euphrates towards Resafa ) Resafa, Palmyra and other military stations for military camp Oriza / Oresa ( Tayyibe ). In another southern course was followed, among others, that the legionary fortress of Bosra ( the Hauran ) and other small fort, water points and watch towers. Some fortlets in present-day Jordan were Qasr Hallabat (50 km east of Amman), Qasr Bushir (15 km north of el- Lejjun ) and the south following legionary camp bed Horus ( el- Lejjun, 20 km east of Kerak ), the fort Daganiya (about 45 km north of Ma'an ) and Odruh ( 22 km east of Wadi Musa ).

In the area west of the Roman Limes Arabicus was the Decapolis with the then-known cities like Gadara. The city situated on the banks of the Euphrates Dura Europos the Romans conquered probably in the year 165 ( the other according to researchers only by 200 ); in 250 years, the city was conquered and destroyed by the Sassanids.