This volume provides a fresh perspective on the evolving and diverse functions of the Roman army in Arabia from the creation of the province to the end of the Byzantine period.

• Cover
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Contents Page
• List of Figures
  • Glossary
    • Archaeological Periods and Dates
  • Preface
  • I. Introduction: Aims and Scope
  • II. Contextualization: The Arabian frontier and the Roman Army
    • Previous Archaeological Research in the Region
    • Ancient Sources
    • The ‘Limes Arabicus’
      • The Limes: Concept and Reality
      • The Southern Arabian Frontier
    • The Roman Army in Arabia
  • III. The Function of the Roman Army on the Arabian Frontier
    • (1) The Defensive System and the ‘Nomadic menace’
    • (2) ‘Internal’ Control, Protection and Administration
    • (3) The Incense and Red Sea trade routes
    • (4) Current perspective: An open economic zone
  • IV. Spatial Analysis
    • Methodology
      • Dataset
      • Visibility analysis
      • Distance analysis
    • Results
      • Visibility
      • Distance
  • V. Discussion
  • VI. Conclusion
  • Descriptive Catalogue I
  • Descriptive Catalogue II
  • Bibliography
• Figure 1. Main sites mentioned in the text, showing the study-area considered in this publication.
  • Figure 2. Study Area (southern Arabian frontier) considered in this publication, showing the main sites mentioned and geographical zones.
  • Figure 3. Section of the Peutinger Table. From: http://peutinger.atlantides.org/map-a/.
  • Figure 4. Cross section of Hadrian’s Wall. From Burton 2012, 23.
  • Figure 5. Annual average rainfall and precipitation. Fanack after MWI. Retrieved from: www.water.fanack.com/jordan/geography-climate-population/, May 2017.
  • Figure 6. Aerial Photo of the Via Nova Traiana (paved stretch running horizontally in the centre) near Umm Aljemal in Northern Jordan. Courtesy of APAAME.
  • Figure 7. Aerial photo of the Via Nova Traiana (cleared stretch running vertically in the centre) in the al-Bitahi area north-west of Basta. Courtesy of APAAME.
  • Figure 8. Coin RIC II Trajan 466 (sestertius), AD 103–111; Denomination: Sestertius; Mint: Rome; Obverse: IMP CAES NERVAE TRAIANO AVG GER DAC P M TR P COS V P P: Bust of Trajan, laureate, draped on left shoulder, right; Reverse: S P Q R OPTIMO PRINCIPI S
  • Figure 9. Coin RIC II Trajan 614 (sestertius), AD 112–114; Denomination: Sestertius; Mint: Rome; Obverse: IMP CAES NERVAE TRAIANO AVG GER DAC P M TR P COS VI P P: Head of Trajan, laureate, right; Reverse: S P Q R OPTIMO PRINCIPI S C ARAB ADQVIS: Arabia, d
  • Figure 10. The Province of Arabia showing the Via Nova Traiana. From Bowersock 1971, Fig. 33.
  • Figure 11. Plan of the Humayma fort and its internal buildings. From Oleson et al. 2008.
  • Figure 12. The Nabataean kingdom and the major trade routes and trade centres of the Near East. From Frösén and Fiema 2002, 259.
  • Figure 13. The systematic satellite imagery survey of sites within the study area conducted in Google Earth.
  • Figure 14. Forts in Arabia. From Al Khouri 2003, Fig.10.
  • Figure 15. Courtyard buildings, certainly or probably Roman, with earlier and later phases at Arad: a) the barracks of the vigiles at Ostia, mid-second century, b) “Mansio” at Lejjun, c) “Caravanserai at Avdat, d) “Caravanserai” at Mempsis, e) “Fort” at T
  • Figure 16. Schematic sections through walls, showing relationship to towers if any (in background): a) Aseikhin, b) En Boqeq, c) Dajaniya, d) Mezad Tamar, e) Lejjun/Udruh, f) Bshir, g) Zenobia, h) Resafa, i) Martyropolis, j) Dara. (Gregory 1997, Fig. 6.5)
  • Figure 17. Cumulative viewshed of Nabataean fortifications.
  • Figure 18. Cumulative viewshed of Roman fortifications.
  • Figure 19. Cumulative viewshed of LR/B fortifications.
  • Figure 20. Intervisibility network of Nabataean Fortifications, showing the limit of normal 20/20 vision (black), the limit of human recognition acuity (red), the limit of smoke signal visibility (green), the limit of light signal visibility (yellow), and
  • Figure 21. Intervisibility network of Roman Fortifications, showing the limit of normal 20/20 vision (black), the limit of human recognition acuity (red), the limit of smoke signal visibility (green), the limit of light signal visibility (yellow), and all
  • Figure 22. Intervisibility network of LR/B Fortifications, showing the limit of normal 20/20 vision (black), the limit of human recognition acuity (red), the limit of smoke signal visibility (green), the limit of light signal visibility (yellow), and all
  • Figure 23. Travel time from Nabataean Fortifications using Tobler’s Hiking function.
  • Figure 24. Travel time from Roman Fortifications using Tobler’s Hiking function.
  • Figure 25. Travel time from LR/B Fortifications using Tobler’s Hiking function.
  • Figure 26. Features near (<1000 m) Nabataean fortifications.
  • Figure 27. Features near (<1000 m) Roman fortifications.
  • Figure 28. Features near (<1000 m) LR/B fortifications.
  • Figure 29. LR/B fortifications on the Jordanian Plateau and their location in relation to main wadi passages connecting the plateau with the eastern desert.
  • Figure 30. The distribution of Nabataean fortifications according to their primary function.
  • Figure 31. The distribution of Roman fortifications according to their primary function.
  • Figure 32. The distribution of LR/B fortifications according to their primary function.
  • Figure 33. Close-up of the Khatt Shebib near Petra. Courtesy of Robert Bewley, APAAME.
  • Figure 34. Aerial view of Khatt Shebib in Jordan. Courtesy of Robert Bewley, APAAME.
• Back cover