The Roman frontier with Persia in north-eastern Mesopotamia
investigates the Roman city of Singara and the fortifications and roads
in the surrounding area. The physical frontier between Rome and Persia
has been little studied, in part because of the difficulty of access for
scholars. In comparison with other parts of the Roman 'limes', this
frontier was of great importance because it separated the two major
civilisations of the early first millennium CE. Although the frontier
stretched north to Armenia and the Black Sea, north-east Mesopotamia was
for long periods the major area of confrontation. After a brief review
of the history of north-east Mesopotamia and its role as the setting for
repeated clashes between the two empires, the book focuses on Singara,
its fortifications and the surrounding frontier zone. This town was one
of the strongpoints on the Roman frontier as it existed up to 363 CE.
The volume then addresses the ancient road network around Singara and
the links to Nisibis and to the Khabur valley to the west. It makes use
of old aerial photographs and satellite imagery to illustrate
fortifications, roads and associated sites, in particular those
mentioned in the Peutinger Table. A final chapter addresses the nature
of the frontier in this region.
