DOI Artikel:
Juchniewicz, Karol: Late roman fortifications in Palmyra
DOI Seite / Zitierlink:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.26423#0197
Late Roman fortieications in Palmyra
ing of the camp [Fig. 6] and there is abundant archaeological evidence for this. He was first of all
the builder of the principia, which comprised the headąuarters (basilica) and the paradę ground
(forum). The basilica or as it is sometimes called the Tempie of Standards constitutes the starting
point for further chronological deliberations, because it is the only well-dated building in the camp
thanks to the inscription. The layout and specifically the fabric of the stone walls are characteristic
enough for comparison with other structures and for establishing a relative chronology of the ar-
chitecture.
The Tempie of Standards was built on a stone platform, leveling the foot slopes of Jebel
Husayniyet rising behind it. The building consisted of a large longitudinal hall, a central chapel
where the Legion kept its standards, and the adjacent smaller halls and rooms (scholae). Local lime-
stone was used, but of a different kind than that used in the construction of the curtain of the de-
fensive wali. The stone used in the principia was hard and yellow-beige in color, while that in the
curtain wali was a soft, pinkish limestone. The first kind erodes in a characteristic way, cracking
and peeling. Huge blocks of this stone were used in the construction of the headąuarters building,
especially at the base of the east and west walls, where a header and stretcher bond is clearly in
evidence [Fig. 7], The upper half of the walls is built with much less care and the bond cannot be
easily ascertained (Gawlikowski 1984:10-13, pis 9,12).
The horreum or garrison granary is another structure, which can be dated to the Tetrarchy based
on similarities of construction techniąue (Gawlikowski 1986: 399) [Fig. 8], The building is located
in the southeast corner of the camp, adjacent to the defensive wali and back wali of the west portico
of the Oval Sąuare. Two types of wali fabric can be distinguished. The first fabric represents the
inside of the defensive wali. The stones are roughly dressed and not well fitted, the back sides left
rough. The other fabric, in the back of the west wali of the granary, corresponds to that observed
in the principia. It is madę up of neatly dressed blocks of pale yellow limestone, cut as thick stone
slabs and arranged in an alternating header-stretcher bond.
It is important to notę that walls built in this way are clearly attached to the outer walls of the
camp: the Southern defensive wali and the east wali of the camp. It means that the horreum was
constructed later than the fortifications and the different bond and different kind of limestone also
suggest a significant gap in time. The camp and defensive wali were constructed at an earlier datę.
The U-shaped towers are usually dated to the time of Justinian, because they are clearly dif-
ferent in materiał and workmanship from the so-called "Diocletianic walls", believed to datę from
the reign of this emperor. They were also clearly attached and not interbonded with this wali,
hence built later. Justinian was the next emperor known to have implemented a defensive building
program in Palmyra, as described by Procopius:
(...) This city, which through lapse oftime had come to be almost completely deserted, the Emperor
Justinian strengthened with defenses which defy description, and he also prooided it with abundant
water, and a garrison of troops, and thus put a stop to the raids of the Saracens. (Procopius, De
aedeficiis II, 11.10-12)
Henri Seyrig proposed the dating based on one inscription and the text of Procopius (Seyrig
1950: 239-240). The hypothesis was subseąuently accepted by van Berchem (1954) and other re-
searchers, most likely in the absence of other ideas. In my opinion, however, the U-shaped towers
should be attributed to the Tetrarchic modernization by Sossianus Hierocles and for this dating,
which is earlier by two hundred years than currently assumed, there are several important argu-
ments.
Comparative studies of other fortifications have shown that most fortresses with U-shaped
towers, with the exception of Dara, can be dated to the 4th century AD and the dating is certain,
because as a rule the towers are bonded with the curtain wali. The only exception is Udruh in Jor-
dan, where U-shaped towers were attached to the wali, but they can still be dated to the 4th cen-
tury AD. The same can be said of the towers in the legionary fortress of Lejjun (Parker 1986: 69-72,
98) [Figs 9,10]. The similarities between early 4th-century fortifications in Singara in northern
Mesopotamia and the walls in Palmyra are even greater than in the case of Udruh and Lejjun. It
should be kept in mind that Singara was likewise a city fortress, while Udruh and Lejjun were
195
Studia Palmyreńskie XII
ing of the camp [Fig. 6] and there is abundant archaeological evidence for this. He was first of all
the builder of the principia, which comprised the headąuarters (basilica) and the paradę ground
(forum). The basilica or as it is sometimes called the Tempie of Standards constitutes the starting
point for further chronological deliberations, because it is the only well-dated building in the camp
thanks to the inscription. The layout and specifically the fabric of the stone walls are characteristic
enough for comparison with other structures and for establishing a relative chronology of the ar-
chitecture.
The Tempie of Standards was built on a stone platform, leveling the foot slopes of Jebel
Husayniyet rising behind it. The building consisted of a large longitudinal hall, a central chapel
where the Legion kept its standards, and the adjacent smaller halls and rooms (scholae). Local lime-
stone was used, but of a different kind than that used in the construction of the curtain of the de-
fensive wali. The stone used in the principia was hard and yellow-beige in color, while that in the
curtain wali was a soft, pinkish limestone. The first kind erodes in a characteristic way, cracking
and peeling. Huge blocks of this stone were used in the construction of the headąuarters building,
especially at the base of the east and west walls, where a header and stretcher bond is clearly in
evidence [Fig. 7], The upper half of the walls is built with much less care and the bond cannot be
easily ascertained (Gawlikowski 1984:10-13, pis 9,12).
The horreum or garrison granary is another structure, which can be dated to the Tetrarchy based
on similarities of construction techniąue (Gawlikowski 1986: 399) [Fig. 8], The building is located
in the southeast corner of the camp, adjacent to the defensive wali and back wali of the west portico
of the Oval Sąuare. Two types of wali fabric can be distinguished. The first fabric represents the
inside of the defensive wali. The stones are roughly dressed and not well fitted, the back sides left
rough. The other fabric, in the back of the west wali of the granary, corresponds to that observed
in the principia. It is madę up of neatly dressed blocks of pale yellow limestone, cut as thick stone
slabs and arranged in an alternating header-stretcher bond.
It is important to notę that walls built in this way are clearly attached to the outer walls of the
camp: the Southern defensive wali and the east wali of the camp. It means that the horreum was
constructed later than the fortifications and the different bond and different kind of limestone also
suggest a significant gap in time. The camp and defensive wali were constructed at an earlier datę.
The U-shaped towers are usually dated to the time of Justinian, because they are clearly dif-
ferent in materiał and workmanship from the so-called "Diocletianic walls", believed to datę from
the reign of this emperor. They were also clearly attached and not interbonded with this wali,
hence built later. Justinian was the next emperor known to have implemented a defensive building
program in Palmyra, as described by Procopius:
(...) This city, which through lapse oftime had come to be almost completely deserted, the Emperor
Justinian strengthened with defenses which defy description, and he also prooided it with abundant
water, and a garrison of troops, and thus put a stop to the raids of the Saracens. (Procopius, De
aedeficiis II, 11.10-12)
Henri Seyrig proposed the dating based on one inscription and the text of Procopius (Seyrig
1950: 239-240). The hypothesis was subseąuently accepted by van Berchem (1954) and other re-
searchers, most likely in the absence of other ideas. In my opinion, however, the U-shaped towers
should be attributed to the Tetrarchic modernization by Sossianus Hierocles and for this dating,
which is earlier by two hundred years than currently assumed, there are several important argu-
ments.
Comparative studies of other fortifications have shown that most fortresses with U-shaped
towers, with the exception of Dara, can be dated to the 4th century AD and the dating is certain,
because as a rule the towers are bonded with the curtain wali. The only exception is Udruh in Jor-
dan, where U-shaped towers were attached to the wali, but they can still be dated to the 4th cen-
tury AD. The same can be said of the towers in the legionary fortress of Lejjun (Parker 1986: 69-72,
98) [Figs 9,10]. The similarities between early 4th-century fortifications in Singara in northern
Mesopotamia and the walls in Palmyra are even greater than in the case of Udruh and Lejjun. It
should be kept in mind that Singara was likewise a city fortress, while Udruh and Lejjun were
195
Studia Palmyreńskie XII