DOI Artikel:
Kowalski, Sławomir P.: The camp of Legio I Illyricorum in Palmyra
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.41276#0191
Sławomir P. Kowalski1
Warszawa
THE CAMP OF LEGIO IILLYRICORUM IN PALMYRA
In 273 A.D. when the army of the emperor Aurelianus captured Palmyra (Fevrier
1931: 141), the development of the city as a caravan trade center suddenly ended.
The town was reported to be sacked by the Roman army (Zosimos, I, 60; Eutropius,
IX, 13; FI. Vopiscus, SHA Aurel. 31, 5-10; cf. Dodgeon, Lieu 1994: 92, 101-102),
though archaeological evidence suggests that the damages were rather occasional
(Will 1966). However, after 273 A.D. the part of the city south of the wadi
el-Qubur, which passed through the center of the ancient town, was abandoned. The
whole northern part was enclosed by the wali including newly created military camp
in the western part (the wali was earlier attributed to Zenobia — von Gerkan 1935:
31; now it is generally accepted that it was built under the emperor Diocletian —
Gabriel 1926: 6; Seyrig 1950: 240; van Berchem 1954: 261; Crouch 1975: 43-44;
Gawlikowski 1974: 231). The creation of the camp is dated to the years 293-303
A.D. on the basis of a lintel in the headąuarters building mentionning Sossianus
Hierocles, praeses provinciae, who took care of the construction (Cantineau 1931:
7-8, insc. 2). According to Notitia Dignitatum (Or. XXXII.30) the camp was gar-
risonned by the legio IIllyricorum.
The legio I Illyricorum
The legion is said to be formed under the emperor Aurelianus out of the troops
of Pannonian army left after the victory over Zenobia (Ritterling 1925: 1406). May-
be it has something to do with the name of the legion, which is rather typical for any
auxiliary unit, but not uniąue in the IV cent. A.D. (e.g. legio INoricorum —Not.
Dign. Occ. XXXIV; cf. Kubitschek 1925: 1833-1835). It is generally accepted that
11 would like to express my gratitude to Mr. Adam Łajtar from the Institute of Archaeology, Univ.
of Warsaw, for his kind assistance and suggestions concerning the reading of the Greek inscriptions
referred to in this paper.
Warszawa
THE CAMP OF LEGIO IILLYRICORUM IN PALMYRA
In 273 A.D. when the army of the emperor Aurelianus captured Palmyra (Fevrier
1931: 141), the development of the city as a caravan trade center suddenly ended.
The town was reported to be sacked by the Roman army (Zosimos, I, 60; Eutropius,
IX, 13; FI. Vopiscus, SHA Aurel. 31, 5-10; cf. Dodgeon, Lieu 1994: 92, 101-102),
though archaeological evidence suggests that the damages were rather occasional
(Will 1966). However, after 273 A.D. the part of the city south of the wadi
el-Qubur, which passed through the center of the ancient town, was abandoned. The
whole northern part was enclosed by the wali including newly created military camp
in the western part (the wali was earlier attributed to Zenobia — von Gerkan 1935:
31; now it is generally accepted that it was built under the emperor Diocletian —
Gabriel 1926: 6; Seyrig 1950: 240; van Berchem 1954: 261; Crouch 1975: 43-44;
Gawlikowski 1974: 231). The creation of the camp is dated to the years 293-303
A.D. on the basis of a lintel in the headąuarters building mentionning Sossianus
Hierocles, praeses provinciae, who took care of the construction (Cantineau 1931:
7-8, insc. 2). According to Notitia Dignitatum (Or. XXXII.30) the camp was gar-
risonned by the legio IIllyricorum.
The legio I Illyricorum
The legion is said to be formed under the emperor Aurelianus out of the troops
of Pannonian army left after the victory over Zenobia (Ritterling 1925: 1406). May-
be it has something to do with the name of the legion, which is rather typical for any
auxiliary unit, but not uniąue in the IV cent. A.D. (e.g. legio INoricorum —Not.
Dign. Occ. XXXIV; cf. Kubitschek 1925: 1833-1835). It is generally accepted that
11 would like to express my gratitude to Mr. Adam Łajtar from the Institute of Archaeology, Univ.
of Warsaw, for his kind assistance and suggestions concerning the reading of the Greek inscriptions
referred to in this paper.