Search results for ""author david j. breeze""

The inextricability of the connection between the Roman limes and the lands it ran through is easily observed and there is even a regularity to be noted: some modern borders actually follow the line of the ancient defenses. At the same time there are significant differences between particular sections of the limes, resulting primarily from the topography, climate and changing strategic importance. The Bulgarian section of the limes is a perfect illustration. For a considerable distance it follows the Danube, which is at the same time the border between Bulgaria and Romania. The landform the location of major settlements at convenient river crossings, natural barriers separating the region from tribal territories and the relatively hospitable region of the Balkans all contributed to making the region north of the Haemus mons suitable for Roman urban and rural settlement, agriculture and overland commerce. The Danube was always of foremost importance. A majo

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The collection of Roman inscribed stones and sculpture, together with other Roman objects found at Maryport in Cumbria, is the oldest archaeological collection in Britain still in private hands. Today, it is housed in the Senhouse Roman Museum on Sea Brows to the north of the modern town of Maryport. Beside the museum the earthworks of the Roman fort may still be seen, and beyond it, though not visible, lies a large civil settlement revealed through geophysical survey and the scene of two recent excavations. 'Maryport: A Roman Fort and its community' places the collection in context and describes the history of research at the site. Maryport, although at the north-western edge of the Roman Empire, provides material of international importance for our understanding of the Roman state.

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The frontiers of the Roman Empire together form the largest monument of one of the world’s greatest ancient states. They stretch for some 7,500 km through 20 countries which encircle the Mediterranean Sea. The remains of these frontiers have been studied by visitors and later by archaeologists for several centuries. Many of the inscriptions and sculptures, weapons, pottery and artefacts created and used by the soldiers and civilians who lived on the frontier can be seen in museums. Equally evocative of the lost might of Rome are the physical remains of the frontiers themselves. The aim of this series of books is not only to inform the interested visitor about the history of the frontiers but to act as a guidebook as well. In this important and beautifully illustrated book, David Breeze elucidates the context of the most famous frontier, Hadrian’s Wall. The zone to north and south of the Wall was a heavily militarised landscape of roads, bridges, forts, fortlets and towers, but also the towns, settlements and supply infrastructure on which the army depended. As the invaluable gazetteer shows, the area is now rich in superb sites and museums, allowing modern people countless rich insights into the world of the soldiers and civilians of the period.

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The Roman fort at Bearsden and its annexe, together with areas beyond its defences, were extensively excavated from 1973 to 1982. The report on these excavations was published in 2016. This ‘popular’ account of the discoveries looks at the material recovered from the site in a different way, examining the process of archaeological excavation, the life of the soldiers at the fort based on the results of the excavation as well as material from elsewhere in the Roman Empire, the presentation and interpretation of the bath-house and latrine, and a discussion of possible future work arising out of the excavation. The excavation report was well illustrated with reconstruction drawings and the process of creating these is also discussed.

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Two thousand years ago, southern Scotland was part of a great empire, the Roman Empire. About AD 140, a Roman army marched north from what is now Northumbria and, 20 years after and over 100 miles further north than Hadrian’s Wall, built a new frontier across the Forth-Clyde isthmus. With reference to contemporary coins and literary sources together with the archaeological remains, inscriptions and sculpture from the Antonine Wall itself, David Breeze explains the historical context for, and the creation of, the fortifications. Stunning photography by David Henrie of Historic Scotland illustrates all aspects of this most northerly Roman frontier. These photographs help us to appreciate the Antonine Wall in its landscape and allow us a visual explanation for its construction almost 2000 years ago.

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The frontiers of the Roman Empire together form the largest monument of one of the world’s greatest ancient states. They stretch for some 7,500 km through 20 countries which encircle the Mediterranean Sea. The remains of these frontiers have been studied by visitors and later by archaeologists for several centuries. Many of the inscriptions and sculptures, weapons, pottery and artefacts created and used by the soldiers and civilians who lived on the frontier can be seen in museums. Equally evocative of the lost might of Rome are the physical remains of the frontiers themselves. The aim of this series of books is not only to inform the interested visitor about the history of the frontiers but to act as a guidebook as well. The remains of the Roman frontiers in Wales are unique in the Roman Empire. Unlike the well-known defensive linear boundaries such as Hadrian’s Wall and the Antonine Wall in northern Britain, the forts and fortresses in Wales formed a dynamic offensive frontier designed to deal with the fierce natives. More than 60 stone and timber fortresses, forts and fortlets are known, some of which seem to have been occupied for only a few years, while others remained in use for far longer. They tell the story of the long and brutal war against the Celtic tribes and, after their final and complete victory, the army’s policy of ‘occupation-in-depth’ when up to 25,000 legionaries and auxiliaries were stationed in Wales. We hope the readers of this book will enjoy discovering the fascinating story of the Roman conquest of Wales almost 2,000 years ago.

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A penetrating and lucid history of the best-known and most spectacular monument to the Roman Empire in Britain. Taking into account new research findings about the building of the Wall, Breeze and Dobson include fascinating details about the Roman army, its religion and daily bureaucratic life. A selection of photos, maps and diagrams help make this a book for both the expert and the layman, being simultaneously erudite and unusually accessible.

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The frontiers of the Roman Empire together form the largest monument of one of the world’s greatest ancient states. They stretch for some 7,500 km through 20 countries which encircle the Mediterranean Sea. The remains of these frontiers have been studied by visitors and later by archaeologists for several centuries. Many of the inscriptions and sculptures, weapons, pottery and artefacts created and used by the soldiers and civilians who lived on the frontier can be seen in museums. Equally evocative of the lost might of Rome are the physical remains of the frontiers themselves. The aim of this series of books is not only to inform the interested visitor about the history of the frontiers but to act as a guidebook as well. Emperor Hadrian ordered the construction of the great Wall which still bears his name ‘to separate the barbarians from the Romans’ (Historia Augusta, Life of Hadrian, 11). The complex of military installations, 117 km long, but with an extension without the linear barrier for about 40 km down the west coast, contained 74 km of stone wall, 43 km of turf rampart, 200 towers, 100 fortlets, 20 forts, took years to construct and was probably still being modified when Hadrian died in July 138. This highly illustrated book offers an accessible summary of Hadrian’s Wall, and an overview of the wider context of the Roman frontiers.

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At its height, the Roman Empire was the greatest empire yet seen with borders stretching from the rain-swept highlands of Scotland in the north to the sun-scorched Nubian desert in the south. But how were the vast and varied stretches of frontier defined and defended? Many of Rome's frontier defences have been the subject of detailed and ongoing study and scholarship. Three frontier zones are now UNESCO World Heritage sites (the Antonine Wall having recently been granted this status - the author led the bid), and there is growing interest in their study. This wide-ranging survey will describe the varying frontier systems, describing the extant remains, methods and materials of construction and highlighting the differences between various frontiers. Professor Breeze considers how the frontiers worked, discussing this in relation to the organisation and structure of the Roman army, and also their impact on civilian life along the empire's borders. He then reconsiders the question of whether the frontiers were the product of an overarching Empire-wide grand strategy, questioning Luttwak's seminal hypothesis. This is a detailed and wide-ranging study of the frontier systems of the Roman Empire by a leading expert. Intended for the general reader, it is sure also to be of great value for academics and students in this field. The appendixes will include a brief guide to visiting the sites today.

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The frontiers of the Roman empire together form the largest surviving monument of one of the world’s greatest states. They stretch for some 7,500 km through 20 countries which encircle the Mediterranean Sea. The remains of these frontiers have been studied by visitors and later by archaeologists for several centuries. Many of the inscriptions and sculpture, weapons, pottery and artefacts created and used by the soldiers and civilians who lived on the frontier can be seen in museums. Equally evocative of the lost might of Rome are the physical remains of the frontiers themselves. The aim of this series of booklets is not only to inform the interested visitor about the history of the frontiers but to act as a guidebook as well. The Roman Empire reached its near full extent during the reign of Emperor Augustus. At that time Europe, Africa, the Middle East and the entire Mediterranean were part of it. The Hungarian part of the Empire had a river frontier that was more precisely called ripa. Pannonia province existed from the occupation during the reign of Emperor Augustus to the 20s and 30s of the 5th century A.D. Its border stretched alongside the Danube and was always one of the most important European frontiers in Roman times, as it is justified by keeping a very strong defence force there, consisting of 4 legions and an average of 30 auxiliary units. Some 420 km long section of the entire Pannonian limes from Klosterneuburg (Austria) to Belgrade (Serbia) belongs to the territory of present-day Hungary.

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The Antonine Wall, the Roman frontier in Scotland, was the most northerly frontier of the Roman Empire for a generation from AD 142. It is a World Heritage Site and Scotland’s largest ancient monument. Today, it cuts across the densely populated central belt between Forth and Clyde. In this volume, nearly 40 archaeologists, historians and heritage managers present their researches on the Antonine Wall in recognition of the work of Lawrence Keppie, formerly Professor of Roman History and Archaeology at the Hunterian Museum, Glasgow University, who spent much of his academic career recording and studying the Wall. The 32 papers cover a wide variety of aspects, embracing the environmental and prehistoric background to the Wall, its structure, planning and construction, military deployment on its line, associated artefacts and inscriptions, the logistics of its supply, as well as new insights into the study of its history. Due attention is paid to the people of the Wall, not just the officers and soldiers, but their womenfolk and children. Important aspects of the book are new developments in the recording, interpretation and presentation of the Antonine Wall to today's visitors. Considerable use is also made of modern scientific techniques, from pollen, soil and spectrographic analysis to geophysical survey and airborne laser scanning. In short, the papers embody present-day cutting edge research on, and summarise the most up-to-date understanding of, Rome's shortest-lived frontier. The editors, Professors Bill Hanson and David Breeze, who themselves contribute several papers to the volume, have both excavated sites on, and written books about, the Antonine Wall.

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The economic and political challenges along the maritime borders of the Roman Empire were multiple. The North Sea coasts were the focus of the attention of traders within the framework of commercial exchanges, of the General Staff preparing for the conquest of Britain under Claudius, and for the defence of the coastlines from the time that their protection became required. The design of a defensive system and the establishment of a supportive force followed a long path through five centuries, adapting to each development and changing strategy and evolving military installations. It had to face the threat of Saxon pirates, not to mention the use of the Roman fleet for political purposes as under Carausius. Military systems are complex because they rely upon the combination of various elements, ports, fleets – thus the famous Classis Britannica – forts protecting estuaries and watch-towers. This border represents a page in military maritime history, but its coasts, in Great Britain, the Netherlands, Belgium and France, contain archaeological sites of high heritage value that deserve a large audience.

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The Roman eastern frontier stretched from the north-east shore of the Black Sea to the Red Sea. It faced Rome’s formidable foe, the kingdom of Parthia, and its successor, Sasanian Persia. Rome’s bulwark in antiquity was the area known as Syria or the Levant, roughly modern Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Israel and Palestine. To the south lay the Nabataean kingdom, annexed by Rome in 106 and formed into the province of Arabia. To the north, the Cappadocian frontier was laid out in one of the most inaccessible and remote parts of Eurasia facing extremes of climate and topography, amid a patchwork of client kingdoms. This hidden and fascinating frontier in Turkey, whose bases mostly lie under reservoirs, is the major omission from this volume and it is hoped that a more in-depth account might appear in due course. The Caucasian forts along the edge of the Black Sea are, however, part of this volume; this is perhaps Rome’s least known frontier archaeologically but the subject of a unique account by Arrian when governor of Cappadocia.

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The frontiers of the Roman empire together form the largest monument of one of the world’s greatest states. They stretch for some 7,500km through 20 countries which encircle the Mediterranean Sea. The remains of these frontiers have been studied by visitors and later by archaeologists for several centuries. Many of the inscriptions and sculpture, weapons, pottery and artefacts created and used by the soldiers and civilians who lived on the frontier can be seen in museums. Equally evocative of the lost might of Rome are the physical remains of the frontiers themselves. The aim of this series of books is not only to inform the interested visitor about the history of the frontiers but to act as a guidebook as well. The Roman military remains in North Africa are remarkable in their variety and in their state of preservation: they deserve to be better known. They include towers and forts, stretches of defensive lines of stone and earth with ditches broken by gates, and roads, sitting in the most amazing scenery. It is hoped that each reader of this book will enjoy learning more about North Africa’s remarkable Roman inheritance.

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The Antonine Wall lay at the very extremity of the Roman world. For a generation, in the middle of the second century AD, it was the north-west frontier of the Roman empire. Furthermore, it was one of only three “artificial” frontiers along the European boundaries of the empire: the other two are Hadrian’s Wall and the German Limes. Although the Antonine Wall fits into the general pattern of Roman frontiers, in many ways it was the most developed frontier in Europe, with certain distinct characteristics. Perhaps of greatest significance is the survival of the collection of Roman military sculpture, the Distance Slabs. These record the lengths constructed by each legion and their relationship to the labour camps allow further conclusions to be made about the work of constructing the Antonine Wall.

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Towards the end of Caesar’s Gallic War, Rome had reached the Rhine. Since the campaigns under Emperor Augustus (15 B.C.), larger troop contingents were stationed along the river, with focal points around Mogontiacum/Mainz and in northern Switzerland. After the Battle of the Teutoburg Forest (9 AD), when the attempt to occupy all of Germania had failed, the Lower Rhine remained the frontier of the empire’s territory until Late Antiquity. East of the Middle and Upper Rhine, however, the Roman sphere of power was pushed forward several times over a period of almost 200 years, and from 90 AD at the latest, the construction of artificial borders was initiated. When the Roman expansion came to an end around 160 AD, the province was secured in its furthest extension by the “Frontal” or “Outer Upper-Germanic Limes”, which existed until the middle of the 3rd century. This book illustrates the historical and archaeological significance of the Upper Germanic Limes and provides an up-to-date overview of its manifold features in the field.

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The frontiers of the Roman empire together form the largest monument of one of the world’s greatest states. They stretch for some 7,500km through 20 countries which encircle the Mediterranean Sea. The remains of these frontiers have been studied by visitors and later by archaeologists for several centuries. Many of the inscriptions and sculpture, weapons, pottery and artefacts created and used by the soldiers and civilians who lived on the frontier can be seen in museums. Equally evocative of the lost might of Rome are the physical remains of the frontiers themselves. The aim of this series of books is not only to inform the interested visitor about the history of the frontiers but to act as a guidebook as well. Slovakia was situated at the edge of the classical world but still was a close neighbour of the Roman Empire. The Roman influence left distinct traces not only at the territories along the frontier but also in its broader fore field.

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In 1949, in the aftermath of a devastating war, Eric Birley organised the First Congress of Roman Frontier Studies. His aim was not only to pursue the study of Roman frontiers but also to take a step towards restoring harmony in international relations within this field of research. The pattern was set early on: the exchange of information, networking and friendship. These three elements remain at the core of the approach of those organising and attending the Congress. They are reinforced by the pattern of the meetings, usually held every three years. The programme includes not only lectures but also visits to the local Roman military sites led by appropriate specialists. Over the 73 years since the First Congress, membership has grown enormously with more lecture theatres and more coaches being required every meeting. This publication marks the twenty-fifth Congress at Nijmegen in the Netherlands, a city well known to Roman frontier archaeologists and early medieval scholars alike. It aims to help newer members understand the body they have joined; for those who have been attending for longer, it will be a reminder of friendships made and strengthened; for all, the book hopes to be a spur to continuing investigations and research into Rome’s greatest monument, its frontiers; for the moment of publication, it will be a celebration of the twenty-fifth Congress of Roman Frontier Studies.

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