The Role of the Army in the Government of the Roman Near East, 64 BC-AD 285 : State Building and Provincial Development / Gary Watson.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Watson, Gary, author.

Series:

Classical Studies E-Books Online, Collection 2025.

Impact of Empire ; 51.

Classical Studies E-Books Online, Collection 2025

Impact of Empire ; 51

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Classical Studies.

Ancient Near East and Egypt.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (368 pages)

Edition:

1st ed.

Other Title:

State Building and Provincial Development

Place of Publication:

Leiden ; Boston : Brill, 2026.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

This study brings together a wide range of sources in order to understand the basis of Roman rule in the Near-East between 64 BC - AD 285. It provides a model for understanding how Roman frontiers and provinces worked and challenges preconceptions about how provinces were governed. It argues that the military orientation of the provinces meant that the army, and its personnel, were the main agents in developing the provinces and carrying out provincial-level administration throughout the Principate. It tackles the main questions in Roman historiography concerning frontiers, and the nature of provinces, and grounds its arguments in the best available source material from the Near-East and the latest archaeological research. In particular, it utilises the testimony of soldiers and provincials themselves (such as that found in the papyri from Dura-Europos) and offers a fresh perspective on the evidence.

Contents:

Acknowledgements

List of Figures and Maps

Abbreviations

Introduction

1 The Interrelationship between the Military and Civil Spheres

2 The Building Blocks of Empire: Provinciae

3 The Establishment of the Near Eastern Provinces

4 The Grand Debate of the Roman Empire: Frontiers

5 Roman Imperial ‘Administration’ and ‘Provincial Government’

Part 1 Building the Provinces

Introduction to Part 1

The Establishment of Military Networks, Stations and Centres to Secure, Administer and Demarcate Provincial Territory

1 Roman Networks

Roads and Infrastructure as a Means to Occupation and Governance

1.1 Syria: a Network for the Expansion of Occupied Territory

1.2 Judaea: a Network for Conquest and Suppression

1.3 Arabia: a Network for Remote Access

1.4 Mesopotamia and Osrhoene: a Network for a Frontier?

1.5 A Roman Network: the Establishment of a Provincial Infrastructure in the Near East

2 Roman Stations

Garrisons and Fortified Structures as Provincial-Administrative Space

2.1 Dura and Palmyra as Paradigms

2.2 From Station to Roman Station

3 Roman Centres

The Legions and Their castra as the Basis for Provincial Government

3.1 Centring In on the Bridgehead: the Pre-Flavian Centres

3.2 Raphanaea and the Legio III Gallica

3.3 Zeugma and the Legio IV Scythica

3.4 Samosata and the Legio XVI Flavia Firma

3.5 Bostra and the Legio III Cyrenaica

3.6 Jerusalem/Aelia Capitolina and the Legio X Fretensis

3.7 Legio-Caparcotna and the Legio VI Ferrata

3.8 Singara, Nisibis and the Legiones Parthica

3.9 City Centres: the castra of the Near East as Administrative Spaces

Part 2 Governing the Provinces

Introduction to Part 2

The Emergence of ‘Administration’ from Military Occupation

4 From Pacification to Policing

The Soldiers as Custodians of Empire

4.1 The Early Years: Policing a Hegemonic Empire

4.2 The High Period of Empire: the Evolution of a Provincial (Military) Police Force

4.3 Tax Collection as Part of the Policing Function

4.4 Custodians of Empire: Paramilitary or Just Military?

5 The Command of a Province

Governors, Commanders and Provincial Government

5.1 The Foundation for Governance: Gabinius, Syria’s First ‘Governor’?

5.2 The Governors as Commanders

5.3 The Governors as Administrators

5.4 Stand-In Administrators?

6 Military Officers

From Warfare to Administration

6.1 The Evolution of Administrative Functions: Military Officers as Delegate Officials

6.2 An Evolving Military Occupation: District Governors?

6.3 Roman Districts for District Commanders?

6.4 The Roman Army and the Realisation of Provincial Government in the Near East

Appendix 1: Auxiliary Units of the Near East

Syria

Judaea/Syria Palaestina

Arabia

Estimated Numbers

Appendix 2: Auxiliary Bases

Stations and Potential Stations in Town and Cities

Stations and Potential Stations in Forts

Forts without Attested Auxiliary Units or Garrisons

Bibliography

Index of Places

Index of Legions.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Description based on publisher supplied metadata and other sources.

Description based on print version record.

ISBN:

90-04-74968-3

OCLC:

1561170918

Publisher Number:

10.1163/9789004749689 DOI