Ancient History and Archaeology

Zu den Heeresformationen Roms an Rhein und oberer Donau in der Zeit des Alexander Severus und Maximinus Thrax Zusammenfassung: Die Ergebnisse der archäologischen Ausgrabungen am Harzhorn lassen sich mit großer Wahrscheinlichkeit mit dem Kriegszug des Maximinus Thrax in das Gebiet der Germania magna 235/236 n. Chr. in Verbindung bringen. Dennoch besteht angesichts der Quellenlage weder über Zielsetzung und Verlauf der militärischen Aktionen Roms noch über die Heeresformationen, welche schon von Alexander Severus bei Mainz zusammengezogen worden waren, hinreichend Klarheit. Der Beitrag versucht durch eine umfassende Interpretation der verfügbaren literarischen und epigraphischen Quellen, die vom Kriegszug des Severus Alexander gegen die Parther ihren Ausgang nimmt, die Heeresgeschichte an Rhein und oberer Donau mit Fokus auf die Heeresformationen zumindest in einigen wesentlichen Grundzügen zu klären. Dabei soll insbesondere auf die Rolle von Spezialtruppen -Mauri, Osrhoeni, Catafractariiim Heer der Römer eingegangen werden und die Zuordnung von Inschriften aus dem rechtsrheinischen Bereich, in denen catafractarii genannt werden und die gewöhnlich mit dem Feldzug des Maximinus nach Germanien in Verbindung gebracht werden, überprüft werden. Kurz Stellung genommen wird zuvor zur militärischen Lage an Rhein und oberer Donau (Raetien) im Jahr 235 n. Chr. und zu den Disposition der verschiedenen Formationen an diesen Grenzabschnitten.

Starting with late 2018, a new archaeological research project has been unfolding in the framework funded by the Romanian Governmental Unit for Research and Development (UEFISCDI) dedicated to top fundamental research, as one of the few winners of 2016 edition (the single to date) of 'Complex Projects for Frontier Research' competition. The Project, whose aims and methods will be shortly presented further, is entitled 'Hidden Landscapes: Exploratory Remote-sensing for the Archaeology of the Lost Roads, Borders and Battlefields of SouthEastern Carpathians' (HiLands). It implements a systematic and diachronic investigation of the historic strategic circulation corridors crossing the SouthEastern part of the Carpathian Mountains-the main gate used along ages by people transiting between Transylvania and the Danube or the Black Sea. In order to achieve such aims we have been exploring, starting from large scale LiDAR surveys, the circulation corridors' diachronic archaeological fingerprint, preserved in the shape of repeatedly fortified landscapes. LiDAR surveys have been carried on continuously since 2018, by airplane, but also with portable sensors based on SLAM technology. The results of the LiDAR explorations were enhanced by field surveys, geophysical prospections and pinpointed excavations, in order to elucidate the nature of anomalies or better contextualize the significance and layout of the roads' routes. The results of these activities are resumed in a constantly updated, open access, online data base of archaeological sites-The archaeological index of SouthEastern Carpathians (AISEC). The current contribution details the essentials of HiLands research (aims, concepts, methods), in order to introduce in the scientific circuit the AISEC's functions and instruments, ready to be used as citable work.

Abstract€ –€ Belgian€ archaeologists€ have€ been€ excavating€ the€ Greco-Roman€ site€ of€ Apamea€ on€ the€ Orontes€ since€ 1928.€ This€ article€ aims€ to€ publish€ 401€ coins€ found€ during€ excavations€ between€ 2005€ and€ 2010€ and€ identified€ on€ the€ spot€ during€ the€
summer€ 2010,€ that€ is€ to€ say€ the€ second€ largest€ sample€ of€ coins€ found€ in€ Apamea€ after€ the€ sample€ published€ by€ Jean-Pierre€ Callu€ in€ 1979.€ These€ coins€ are€ presented€ here €in€ their€ archaeological €context, €a€ public€ building,€ the€ Tycheion,€ and €the €North-
East€ District,€ including€ a€ thermal€ establishment€ and€ a€ palaestra.€ Publishing€ those€ coins€ in€ their€ context€ should€ help€ precise€ the€ dating€ of€ some€ archaeological€ layers€ and,€ consequently,€ to€ specify€ periods€ of€ occupation€ of€ the€ buildings€ studied.€ The€
issues€ raised€ by€ the€ presence€ of €many€ backfills,€ halved €and€ imitation €coins €are €also€ discussed.€

A teenage king in 223 BC, Antiochus III inherited an empire in shambles, ravaged by civil strife and eroded by territorial secessions. He proved himself a true heir of Alexander: he defeated rebel armies and embarked on a campaign of conquest and reunification. Although repulsed by Ptolemy IV at the Battle of Raphia, his eastern campaigns reaffirmed Seleucid hegemony as far as modern Afghanistan and Pakistan. Returning westward, he defeated Ptolemy V at Panion (200 BC) and succeeded in adding Koile Syria to the Seleucid realm. At the height of his powers, he challenged growing Roman power, unimpressed by their recent successes against Carthage and Macedon. His expeditionary force was crushed at Thermopylae and evacuated. Refusing to bow before Roman demands, Antiochus energetically mobilized against Roman invasion, but was again decisively defeated at the epic battle of Magnesia. Despite the loss of territory and prestige enshrined in the subsequent Peace of Apamea, Antiochus III left the Seleucid Empire in far better condition than he found it. Although sometimes presented as a failure against the unstoppable might of Rome, Antiochus III must rank as one of the most energetic and effective rulers of the Ancient world. In addition to discussing the career of Antiochus III, Michael Taylor examines Seleucid military organization and royal administration. uk £14.99 us $26.95

The publication presents a complete and up-to-date list of Imperial denarius hoards from the European Barbaricum with a very basic comment. It is not intended to be a detailed catalogue of hoards, but only a starting point for more detailed searches and studies.

This paper summerizes the hellenistic coin finds on sites BEY 002, BEY 006, BEY 004, BEY 026, BEY 145, BEY 125, BEY 133, BEY 142 and BEY 144 from Beirut. The full data presented the VXth INC Glasgow, 2009,  are consultable in the "Talks" section of the current page of Academia.

ANCIENT SOURCES ABOUT BESSAPARA. In the article are chronologically presented and carefully analyzed the currently available ancient sources about Bessapara. It’s noted that the evidences suggest for settlements with different status: road station (Bessapara, other documented variants: Belsufaro, Bessabara and Basapare), village (Bessopara) and fortress (Bessoupara or Bessupara). Traditionally, due to the scarce evidences, all of them are considered by the modern researchers as one and the same settlement, called Bessapara. Indicated are the insufficient arguments for all of the proposed locations of that settlement. Emphasized is the need for new studies about Bessapara and for a real terrain tracking of the Roman road between Serdica (Sofia) and Philippopolis (Plovdiv).

""The author analyses the mythological subjects known from the funerary paintings of the Near East. He is interested principally in the meaning and the message which these representations conveyed. He studies the interpretative problems of funerary iconography in terms of the principles that we encounter in the iconography of roman art - principles which are confirmed by Artemidorus of Ephesus (or Artemidorus of Daldis), a Greek author of the Antonine period, in his manuel Key to Dreams (Onirocriticon). This approach has never previously been attempted. To support his argument, he refers to numerouse monuments of funerary art as well as to a series of inscriptions adorning the monuments in Roman necrpoleis.

L’auteur analyse les sujets mythologiques connus de la peinture funéraire au Proche-Orient. Il s’intéresse principalement au sens et au message que ces représentations portaient. Il étudie la problématique de la sémantique de l’iconographie funéraire en fonction des principes qu’on retrouve dans l’iconographie plastique et qu’Artémidore d’Ephese (soit Artémidore de Daldis), auteur grec de l’époque antonine, confirme dans son manuel La clef de songes (Onirocriticon). Cette démarche n’avait jusqu’alors, jamais été entreprise. Pour appuyer son raisonnement, l’auteur se réfère à des nombreux monuments d’art funéraire, ainsi qu’à une série d’inscriptions ornant des monuments des nécropoles romaines.
See also: M.T. Olszewski, Artémidore, mythologie et symbolique funéraire, Archeologia (Warsaw) 52, 2001, pp. 39-60.
M.T. Olszewski, Le statut de l'image selon Artémidore et l'art romain, in: Morlier, H. ed., IXe Colloque international pour l'étude de la mosaïque antique et médiévale, Roma 5.11.2001-10.11.2001, Collection de l'Ecole Française de Rome 352/2, Rome 2005, pp. 859-880.""

Starting with late 2018, a new archaeological research project has been unfolding in the framework funded by the Romanian Governmental Unit for Research and Development (UEFISCDI) dedicated to top fundamental research, as one of the few winners of 2016 edition (the single to date) of 'Complex Projects for Frontier Research' competition. The Project, whose aims and methods will be shortly presented further, is entitled 'Hidden Landscapes: Exploratory Remote-sensing for the Archaeology of the Lost Roads, Borders and Battlefields of SouthEastern Carpathians' (HiLands). It implements a systematic and diachronic investigation of the historic strategic circulation corridors crossing the SouthEastern part of the Carpathian Mountains-the main gate used along ages by people transiting between Transylvania and the Danube or the Black Sea. In order to achieve such aims we have been exploring, starting from large scale LiDAR surveys, the circulation corridors' diachronic archaeological fingerprint, preserved in the shape of repeatedly fortified landscapes. LiDAR surveys have been carried on continuously since 2018, by airplane, but also with portable sensors based on SLAM technology. The results of the LiDAR explorations were enhanced by field surveys, geophysical prospections and pinpointed excavations, in order to elucidate the nature of anomalies or better contextualize the significance and layout of the roads' routes. The results of these activities are resumed in a constantly updated, open access, online data base of archaeological sites-The archaeological index of SouthEastern Carpathians (AISEC). The current contribution details the essentials of HiLands research (aims, concepts, methods), in order to introduce in the scientific circuit the AISEC's functions and instruments, ready to be used as citable work.

Italiano:
A partire dal 2007, nell’area di Piazza Venezia a Roma, sono stati realizzati alcuni sondaggi archeologici per la costruzione di una stazione per la Linea C della metropolitana. Nel sondaggio S14, quello realizzato nella Piazza della Madonna di Loreto, sono state trovate una serie di strutture appartenenti a diversi periodi storici:dal periodo tardo-repubblicano all’età moderna. Le strutture, appartenenti all’età adrianea, hanno aperto un intenso dibattito tra gli studiosi poiché i tecnici della Soprintendenza Speciale per i Beni Archeologici di Roma hanno proposto l’identificazione di queste strutture con quelle dell’Athenaeum dell’imperatore Adriano, un’istituzione accademica a noi nota grazie alle fonti letterarie. Purtroppo le scarse fonti a nostra disposizione, relative a questa istituzione, non hanno permesso fino ad ora di proporre un’ubicazione per l’Athenaeum di Adriano.

Español:
A partir del 2007, en el área de la Piazza Venezia en Roma, se realizaron una serie de sondeos arqueológicos para la construcción de una estación para la Línea C del metro. En el sondeo S14, realizado en la Piazza della Madonna di Loreto, se han encontrado una serie de estructuras pertenecientes a diversos periodos de la historia: desde el periodo tardo-republicano a la Edad Moderna. Las estructuras pertenecientes a la época adrianea han abierto un intenso debate entre los estudiosos, pues los técnicos de la Soprintendenza Speciale per i Beni Archeologici di Roma han propuesto la identificación de estas estructuras con las del Athenaeum del emperador Adriano, una institución académica conocida gracias a las fuentes literarias. Por desgracia, la ausencia de fuentes a nuestra disposición relativas a esta institución, no han permitido hasta ahora proponer una ubicación para el Athenaeum de Adriano.

English:
Since 2007, in the area of ​​the Piazza Venezia in Rome, a series of archaeological surveys for the construction of a station for Metro Line C were performed. In the survey S14, conducted in the Piazza della Madonna di Loreto, found a number of structures belonging to different periods of history from the late-Republican period to the Modern Age. The structures belonging to the Hadrian era have opened an intense debate among scholars, because technicians from the Soprintendenza Speciale per i Beni Archeologici di Roma have proposed the identification of these structures with the Athenaeum of Emperor Hadrian, an academic institution known through literary sources. Unfortunately, the absence of sources at our disposal concerning this institution have not allowed yet to propose a location for Hadrian's Athenaeum.

Starting with late 2018, a new archaeological research project has been unfolding in the framework funded by the Romanian Governmental Unit for Research and Development (UEFISCDI) dedicated to top fundamental research, as one of the few winners of 2016 edition (the single to date) of 'Complex Projects for Frontier Research' competition. The Project, whose aims and methods will be shortly presented further, is entitled 'Hidden Landscapes: Exploratory Remote-sensing for the Archaeology of the Lost Roads, Borders and Battlefields of SouthEastern Carpathians' (HiLands). It implements a systematic and diachronic investigation of the historic strategic circulation corridors crossing the SouthEastern part of the Carpathian Mountains-the main gate used along ages by people transiting between Transylvania and the Danube or the Black Sea. In order to achieve such aims we have been exploring, starting from large scale LiDAR surveys, the circulation corridors' diachronic archaeological fingerprint, preserved in the shape of repeatedly fortified landscapes. LiDAR surveys have been carried on continuously since 2018, by airplane, but also with portable sensors based on SLAM technology. The results of the LiDAR explorations were enhanced by field surveys, geophysical prospections and pinpointed excavations, in order to elucidate the nature of anomalies or better contextualize the significance and layout of the roads' routes. The results of these activities are resumed in a constantly updated, open access, online data base of archaeological sites-The archaeological index of SouthEastern Carpathians (AISEC). The current contribution details the essentials of HiLands research (aims, concepts, methods), in order to introduce in the scientific circuit the AISEC's functions and instruments, ready to be used as citable work.

Rescue archaeological excavations took place in the summer of 2014 at the multi-period site of Bălata-Schit, Șoimuș commune, Hunedoara County, adding to the existing information on one of the most important sites on the Mureș Valley. Amongst the numerous discoveries, fragments from at least two bronze cauldrons were uncovered. The morphological characteristics, especially the cross-shaped handles decorated with geometric patterns, indicate their dating in the final stage of Ha B2, as also suggested by other analogies in Transylvania. The vessels belong to the categories Merhardt B1 and B2a. The bronze recipients from Bălata reveal an unknown chapter in the archaeology of the Early Iron Age in southwestern Transylvania, offering new data on the spirituality of the respective times.

Actes du colloque tenu à Paris, à l'INHA et au musée du Louvre, en novembre 2019.
Les auteurs présentent les acquisitions d'antiques du collectionneur Edward Barry, qui a revendu la plupart de ses collections à plusieurs musées d'Occitanie, principalement ceux de Toulouse, Nîmes et Montauban, où elles sont venues former des fonds importants.

Centurions in legions were advancing through ranks, which were indicated by the cohort and the maniple they were serving in. But how did they exactly move through these ranks? How were the primi ordines fitting into the ranking system? How did a centurion advance to the rank of primus pilus? All these questions seem to be clear, but have not yet been considered in an exact manner. Alfred von Domaszewski and Brian Dobson have already made first attempts to show the advancing through the ranks of the centurions. There were very good approaches, but there have arisen new findings, that enhance these considerations. Cohort and maniple still are important to reach the top levels of centurionship. But there is also the centuria, which is not unimportant, especially in relation to the prior and posterior rankings. It is these facts, that make us an exact statement about the primi ordines and the advancement to primus pilus.

New insights about the previously unpublished inscription of cohors III Alpinorum, located in the Archaeological Museum in Zadar, are brought to light. Previously documented as an inscription from an unknown site, calling upon the diaries of a Friar Lujo Marun, it is now identified as an inscription from Petrovo polje; more precisely from the Cecela hilltop in the village of Siverić near the city of Drniš. So far, eight inscriptions with the record of Roman auxiliary units were found in the area of Petrovo polje, thus the inscription from Cecela should not be considered as an isolated case, but rather as a part of a relatively larger group of epigraphic records of Roman auxiliary units. The inscriptions were found in several locations (Tepljuh, Otavice, Kadina Glavica, Umljanovići) and as such, they represent the foundation of a hypothesis for the existence of several Roman auxiliary forts in Petrovo polje. On the other hand, it has recently been suggested that only one fort should be located in Petrovo polje, i.e. in the wider area of Kadina Glavica. The proposed location for the auxiliary fort is found at the slope below the place name "Glavičina" in the area of the village of Parčić near Kadina Glavica. From that point, several scholars are often mentioning 'the auxiliary fort in Kadina Glavica', sometimes even as a proven and undoubted fact. The authors hereby disregard such interpretation and give a new perspective on the presence of Roman soldiers in the area of Petrovo Polje.

Caesar was without a doubt one of the greatest general created by the Roman Army and mankind. Even though a lot of researchers consider that the subject of his military and political achievements is exhausted, there still are perspectives that show new faces of his "adventure" in Rome's political life and in the provinces' military one. This book subscribes to this tendency, and the authors go beyond naratting the essential moments during the military campaigns, considering at the same time the traditions and customs of the Celtic society and their attempt to evolve towards the Roman model, especially after Vercingetorix's rise to power. In parallel we follow the events in Rome that influence Caesar's career, and which often led him to taking close call decisions. The book has 210 pages of text, and in between pages 82 and 83, there are 16 pages inserted with pictures and maps.The study in itself is divided in nine chapters, and is preceded by a section of thanks, a note that refers to the sources used and an introduction. At the end of the nine chapters there is a glossary, two appendixes, the notes, a bibliography and an index. The first four chapters, along with the introduction, are based on the elements that created the framework of the events in the year 52BC, events that have culminated with the battle of Alesia. Thus, we can see the natural framework, the two combatant forces, their leaders and the leaders decisions until the battle's final moment. The last four chapters describe the two leaders' strategy, a strategy that they tried to adapt to the opponents fighting particularity. The first chapter, An ancient city in Gaul, shows the natural framework of the decisive confrontation. Although most of the arguments assign the town of Alise-Sainte-Reine as the place where the siege took place, there are some specialists that the place was Chaux-des-Crotenay, in Juras and Alaise in Franche-Comte. In the last chapter, the authors declare themselves pretty clearly as supporting the first version. In the second chapter, De Rei Militarii, the authors present the defining elements of the Roman Army, which also represent the key to its success. A combination between discipline, practice, organization, cohesion, flexibility, command, equipment and morals, is that which drives the Roman Army towards victory. The Gauls are presented in the third chapter, Way of the Gaul. Although written from a Roman perspective, Caesar's writings are extremely important because they are the only sources written about the Gauls in that era. In this chapter there are presented the most important oppida,and also other elements of the Celtic culture, like the importance of women's role in this society. The Celtic warriors, their equipment and their combat style is described in the fourth chapter, Way of the warrior. Although a "nation" of fighters, the Celts often had serious difficulties in recruiting an army. Unlike the Romans, the Celts were not unitarily equipped, there were great discrepancies between

A paper is devoted to a rare find of a Roman bronze openwork belt plate with the preserved skin residues found in a mountain sanctuary Gurzufskoe Sedlo together with the items of the Roman military equipment principally dated by the Late Republican-Early Principate periods. It's finding in a barbarian sanctuary along with the items of Roman Republican equipment is associated with the participation of Tauri tribes in the military actions against Rome in the Black Sea region during the first half of a 1st century BC. It is possible to study the features of the construction and decor elements of an item due to a good state of its preserve.

Study of 2189 coins found on three archaeological sites in Jemmayzeh, the eastern entry of Beirut. The finds stretch from the Persian to the modern period. The Medieval and contemporary coins are studied by Hassan el-Akra. Find attached the contents and the introduction.

This paper draws on data from two projects, the British Museum/Leicester Hoards project, which gathered records of 3,223 hoards of Iron Age and Roman coins from Britain, and the Oxford Coin Hoards of the Roman Empire project, which is gathering data on Roman coin hoards from across the Roman Empire, to make long-range comparisons of hoarding across different parts of the Empire by century. It adopts a broadbrush approach as the Oxford project is still adding data. The paper sets out the number of hoards recorded from each country from the reign of Augustus to the end of the fifth century and it shows that Luxembourg, followed by England and Israel have the highest number of coin hoards; it then considers the various factors governing the recovery and recording of hoards and the method of discovery of finds, before examining the chronological distribution of hoarding over the first to fifth centuries. Overall, the third century saw the highest proportion of coin hoards, followed by the fourth century, but there are very wide differences between the hoarding patterns of different countries. Hoards from beyond the frontier are also considered. A final section compares hoarding patterns with single finds of gold coins and suggests avenues for further research.

The publication presents a complete and up-to-date list of Imperial denarius hoards from the European Barbaricum with a very basic comment. It is not intended to be a detailed catalogue of hoards, but only a starting point for more detailed searches and studies.