396 Obscure Strongholds Uncovered – Classified Satellite Data Disclose Ancient Roman Defense Line

by Mateo Gonzalez
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Roman forts declassified imagery

CORONA satellite snapshots reveal significant archaeological sites. Courtesy of: Illustration by J. Casana et al.; CORONA images provided by the U.S. Geological Survey.

Recently declassified satellite imagery has revealed the existence of 396 fortifications along the ancient border region between what are now Syria and Iraq.

Two millennia ago, the Romans established a series of fortifications throughout the northern portion of the Fertile Crescent, an area that extends from what is today western Syria to the northwestern regions of Iraq.

Fresh Perspectives from Historical Spy Satellite Data

Father Antoine Poidebard, in the 1920s, utilized a biplane from World War I to perform one of the earliest aerial reconnaissance missions, during which he recorded 116 fortifications within this region. Poidebard’s findings indicated that these structures were aligned from the north to the south, marking the eastern frontier of the Roman Empire.

A recent investigation by Dartmouth researchers into the declassified spy satellite photos from the Cold War period has uncovered 396 previously unknown Roman fortresses and contradicted Poidebard’s earlier assessments of their orientation, showing instead an east-west alignment. These new findings illustrate a spread of forts from Mosul along the Tigris River to Aleppo in western Syria.

These findings have been documented in the journal Antiquity.

Comparative distribution charts of forts recorded by Poidebard (1934) versus those detected in satellite imagery. Produced by: Illustration by J. Casana et al., utilizing ArcGIS Pro version 3.0 software.

Jesse Casana, the study’s principal investigator and a Dartmouth professor in the Anthropology Department as well as the director of the Spatial Archaeometry Lab, expressed his astonishment at the quantity and distribution pattern of these forts, which contradicted the long-held belief that the forts delineated the boundary between Rome and its eastern adversaries, whether Persian or Arab forces. Despite historical contentions, it was widely presumed that Poidebard’s mapping accurately reflected the forts’ purpose as a border demarcation to control cross-border movement.

Utilizing Declassified Images for Archaeological Studies

The research team utilized declassified imagery from the CORONA and HEXAGON satellite missions, which were active from 1960 to 1986. This imagery is now part of the publicly accessible CORONA Atlas Project. Within this initiative, Casana and his colleagues have improved data correction techniques and facilitated online data access.

The team conducted a detailed examination of satellite images covering roughly 300,000 square kilometers (115,831 square miles) within the northern Fertile Crescent, an area known for its archaeological significance and clarity of site visibility, according to Casana. The research involved mapping over 4,500 recognized sites and meticulously recording every potential site-like feature within nearly 5 by 5 kilometer (3.1 mile by 3.1 mile) survey grids. This effort led to the discovery of an additional 10,000 previously unknown sites.

Classification and Discoveries

Casana had previously established a database with morphological categories to classify different features visible in the imagery, facilitating targeted queries. Among these categories were the forts described by Poidebard—marked by their distinctive rectangular shape with dimensions roughly 50 by 100 meters (.03 x .06 miles), each about half the size of a standard soccer field.

The forts were constructed to house troops and possibly horses or camels, featuring lookout towers on their corners or sides. Built from stone and mud-brick, or solely from the latter, these temporary structures would have eventually disintegrated back into the landscape.

Although many of the forts recorded by Poidebard may have been lost or obscured due to agricultural and other land uses between the 1920s and 1960s, the researchers managed to locate 38 of Poidebard’s original 116 forts and identify an additional 396.

Out of these 396 new forts, 290 were located in the study area and 106 in western Syria’s Jazireh. The study also brought to light forts with unique interior architectural features and those centered around a raised citadel, besides the walled fortresses similar to those documented by Poidebard.

Casana noted that these discoveries, while significant, likely represent just a small portion of what once existed and suggest that the forts served not only for defense but also as support for troop movements, supply logistics, and trade within the region.

Citation: “A wall or a road? A remote sensing-based investigation of fortifications on Rome’s eastern frontier” by Jesse Casana, David D. Goodman and Carolin Ferwerda, published on 26 October 2023 in Antiquity.
DOI: 10.15184/aqy.2023.153

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Roman forts declassified imagery

How many Roman forts were discovered through the declassified imagery?

396 previously undocumented Roman forts were identified through the analysis of declassified Cold War satellite imagery.

What regions did the newly discovered Roman forts span across?

The forts span across an area from Mosul on the Tigris River to Aleppo in western Syria, aligning from east to west.

Who conducted the original documentation of forts in the region and when?

Father Antoine Poidebard documented 116 forts in the 1920s using one of the world’s first aerial surveys with a WWI-era biplane.

What was the purpose of the Roman forts according to the new findings?

The new analysis suggests that the forts were likely used to support the movement of troops, supplies, and trade goods across the region, rather than just demarcating a boundary.

Where can one find the published results of this study?

The results are published in the journal Antiquity, with the reference: “A wall or a road? A remote sensing-based investigation of fortifications on Rome’s eastern frontier” by Jesse Casana, David D. Goodman, and Carolin Ferwerda, dated 26 October 2023. DOI: 10.15184/aqy.2023.153.

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