A wall or a road? A remote sensing-based investigation of fortifications on Rome's eastern frontier

A remote sensing-based investigation challenges the long-standing notion that Rome's eastern frontier fortifications were primarily defensive structures. By analyzing declassified images from CORONA and HEXAGON spy satellites, researchers identified 396 previously unrecorded forts across the northern Fertile Crescent, significantly expanding our understanding of Roman military architecture in this region. This extensive distribution suggests that these fortifications served a dual purpose: not only as defensive barriers but also as key nodes facilitating the movement of people and goods through the Syrian steppe, thereby redefining their role in Rome's imperial strategy.

Casana, J., Goodman, D. D., & Ferwerda, C. (2023). A wall or a road? A remote sensing-based investigation of fortifications on Rome’s eastern frontier. Antiquity, 97(396), 1516–1533. https://doi.org/10.15184/aqy.2023.153