Massive Roman-era garrison found in Syria

[Spiridonov Alexander]

http://in.news.yahoo.com/43/20090725/89 ... nd-in.html

[D B Campbell]

Massive? 3 hectares? :roll:

[Endre Fodstad]

Hmmm.

Above link:

Damascus, July 25 (DPA) Archaeologists in Syria have found what they believe was the largest Roman garrison in the Middle East, SANA news agency reported Saturday.

German archaeologists discovered the site, which spreads over three hectares (30,000 square metres), at al-Rifniah, in the northern Syrian province of Hama, the report said.

Experts described the fort as the largest Roman military outpost in the region. It was discovered following mentions of the outpost in documentary evidence and engravings, SANA said.

Real SANA report:
Hama, (SANA)- The Syrian-German archeological mission has unearthed the site of the archeological city of Rafnia, which has been lost for hundreds of years.

Head of the Ruins Department in Mesyaf, Ibrahim Abbas said Thursday that the survey results revealed that the city stretches across 3 hectares.

It is considered the biggest center for old Roman armies in Baarin region in Hama and it matches the ancient city of Apamia by size and age.

He added that this major discovery will add a new value to the archeological and historical position of the region, especially that it will allow for more precise reading of history through the findings and treasures expected to be found in this city.

So newly uncovered city with garrison in it, not 3 hectares of fort...as I suspect most here guessed.

http://www.sana.sy/eng/35/2009/07/23/237017.htm

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

Hmmmm, 3 hectares of fort would be pretty small, in my guestimate...... :?

[Matthew Amt]

Rats, the subject said "Roman-era garrison", and I went and thought it was a bunch of descendants of soldiers still waiting for orders from Rome! (Hee hee hee...) Kinda like those lone Japanese soldiers they used to find hidden in bunkers on Pacific islands 30 or 40 years after the war ended. Oh, well, archeology is still good!

Matthew

[D B Campbell]

Hmmmm, 3 hectares of fort would be pretty small, in my guestimate...... :?

A respectable fort, Byron. (Your average Hadrian's Wall fort is about 2½ha.)

But it's not a "massive garrison". For comparison, the military enclave at Dura Europos was around 10ha. I was expecting something like this when I read the headline. Dura Europos itself must measure about 50ha, so a 3ha "city" is not (imho) very impressive!

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

I was thinking of the Severn? marching camps..supposedly 25 hectares?
But yeah, 3 hectares is not massive.....by even my stretch of the imagination :lol:

[Tiberius Clodius Corvinus]

Hmm, after some deep and careful consideration, I too think it's not massiv

joking aside ... is three hectar then maybe an error and they meant 30 or so?

I mean how can they possibly consider a 3 ha garrison "... the largest Roman garrison in the Middle East"
Or in case the other report is correct, call a settlement stretching across 3 ha a city?

I know that even today the definitions for what is a city differ considerably, but this small in any case ... oh, well semantics :roll:

[D B Campbell]

... Head of the Ruins Department in Mesyaf, Ibrahim Abbas said Thursday that the survey results revealed that the city stretches across 3 hectares. ...

What a splendid title: "Head of the Ruins Department"!

So maybe the excavations stretch for 3ha?

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

That could be it Duncan!