The countryside

A unique concentration of ancient settlements, numbering one every two square kilometers in the densest regions, has been identified across northern Syria, Jordan, and the Negev Desert. These 'dead cities'—more accurately described as towns or villages—exhibit remarkable preservation of architecture, reflecting high levels of security without defensive walls. The study highlights the density and variety of these settlements, with administrative and market centers distinguishable by their size and public buildings. Surveys from the Plain of Antioch to semi-desert areas reveal a previously underappreciated pattern of rural development in antiquity.

(Ed.). (2016). The countryside. Rome in the East, 244–293. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315646886-5