The Near East Under Roman Rule: Selected Papers

504 Pages·1997·10.019 MB·English

by  Benjamin H. Isaac

THE NEAR EAST
UNDER ROMAN RULE
MNEMOSYNE
BIBLIOTHECA CIASSICA BATAV A
COLLEGERUNT
J.M. BREMER • L. F. JANSSEN • H. PINKSTER
H. W. PLEKET • C.J. RUIJGH • P.H. SCHRIJVERS
BIBLIOTHECAE FASCICULOS EDENDOS CURAVIT
C.J. RUIJGH, KLASSIEK SEMINARIUM, OUDE TURFMARKT 129, AMSTERDAM
SUPPLEMENTIJM CENfESIMUM SEPTUAGESIMUM SEPTIMUM
BENJAMIN ISAAC
THE NEAR EAST
UNDER ROMAN RULE
THE NEAR EAST
UNDER ROMAN RULE
SELECTED PAPERS
BY
BENJAMIN ISAAC
BRILL
LEIDEN · NEW YORK · KOLN
1998
This book is printed on acid-free paper.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data is also available.
Die Deutsche Bibliotbek ]-CIP-Einheitsaufnabme
(Mnemosyne/ Supplementum]
Mnemosyne : bibliotheca classica Batava. Supplementum. - Leiden ;
New York ; Koln : Brill
Friiher Schriftenreihe
Reihe Supplementum zu: Mnemosyne
17 7. The Near East under Roman rule. - 1998
The Near East under Roman rule / by Benjamin Isaac. - Leiden ;
New York ; Koln : Brill, 1998
(Mnemosyne : Supplementum ; I 77)
ISBN 90-04-10736-3
ISSN 0 169-8958
ISBN 90 04 10736 3
© Copyright 1998 by Koninldijke Brill, Leiden, The .Netherlands
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PRINTED IN THE NETHERLANDS
CONTENTS
List of illustrations . .. .. .. ... .. ... ... . .. . .. . ... . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . .. .. . .. ... .. .. . .... .. .
ix
Places of Original Publication . .. .. . .. . . .. . . .. . . .. . .. . ... .. .. . .. .. . . ... .. . . ...... XI
Introduction . . .. . .. . .. ... .. .. . ... .. .. . .. . .. .. .. . .. .. .. . . .. . . .. . .. .... .. .. . ... .. .. ... ... .. . ... xv
Map: Roman Roads in Judaea and Arabia ............................. XIX
Hellenistic and Herodian Palestine
l. A Seleucid Inscription from Jamnia-on-the-Sea:
Antioch us V Eupator and the Sidonians ... .. .. . .. .. .. . .. . .. . .. 3
Postscript . .. . .. .. . . .. . .. . .. . .. .. . .. . .. . .. .. . .. .. . .. . .. . . .. . .. .. .. .. .. .. . .. . .. .. .. . . .. .. . .. 19
2. A Donation for Herod's Temple in Jerusalem ................. 21
Judaea under Roman Rule
3. Two Greek Inscriptions from Tell Abu-Shusha ................ 31
Postscript .. .. .. . .. .. .. . .. .. . .. . .. .. . . .. . .. .. . .. . . .. . .. . . . .. . .. . .. . .. .. . . .. . . .. . . .. . .. . . .. . 34
4. B. Isaac and I. Roll, A Milestone of A.O. 69 from Judaea:
The Elder Trajan and Vespasian ................................... 36
Postscript .. .. .. . ...... ..... .. .. .. .. .. ... .. .. . .. . .. . .. . ...... .. . .. . .. .. . ... .. ... ... .. .... .. 45
5. Vespasian's Titulature in A.O. 69 ....................................... 46
6. Milestones in Judaea: From Vespasian to Constantine .... 48
Postscript .. . .. .. .. . .. .. . .. . .. .. . .. . . . .. . .. . .. . .. .. . .. . .. . . .. .. .. .. . . .. . .. . . . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. 69
7. M. Gichon, and B. Isaac, A Flavian Inscription from
Jerusalem ........................................................................... 76
Postscript . .. .. . .. .. .. . .. .. . .. . .. .. . . .. . . .. . .. . .. . .. .. . . .. . . .. .. . .. . .. . .. .. . .. . .. .. .. . .. . . . 86
8. Roman Colonies in Judaea: The Foundation of Aelia
Capitolina .......................................................................... 87
Postscript .. . .. . . .. . .. . .. .. . .. . . . .. . . .. . .. .. . . .. .. . . .. .. .. . . .. . . .. .. .. . .. . .. . .. .. .. . .. . .. . . 109
9. Judaea after A.O. 70 ............................................................. 112
Postscript .. . .. . .. .. .. . . . .. . . .. . .. .. . .. . .. . .. . .. .. . . .. .. . .. . .. .. .. .. .. . .. . .. . .. . . .. . . .. .. . . 120
10. Bandits in Judaea and Arabia ............................................ 122
Postscript ................................................................................. 152
11. The Babatha Archive . .... .. .. .... .. ... ... ...... .. .. . .. .. ... .. .. . ... . .. .. ...... 159
Postscript .. . .. . .. . .. .. . .. .. . .. . .. . .. . .. .. . .. . .. .. . .. . .. . . .. . . . .. .. .. .. . .. .. . . .. . . .. . .. . . . . 17 6
VI CONTENTS
12. B. Isaac and I. Roll, Judaea in the Early Years of
Hadrian's Reign ............................................................... 182
Postscript .. .. . . .. . . .. . .. .. . .. . .. .. . .. .. .. . .. .. . .. .. . .. .. . .. .. . . .. . .. . . .. .. .. .. . . .. .. . .. .. . 196
13. B. Isaac and I. Roll, Legio II Traiana in Judaea ............ 198
Postscript .. .. . . .. . . .. . .. .. . .. . .. .. . . .. .. . .. .. . . .. .. .. . .. .. . .. . . .. . .. . .. .. . .. .. . .. . . .. . .. .. 206
14. B. Isaac and I. Roll, Legio II Traiana in
Judaea-A Reply .............................................................. 208
Postscript . .. . .. . .. . . .. . .. .. . .. . .. . . .. . . .. . .. . .. . .. .. . .. .. . .. .. . .. .. .. . . .. .. .. . . . .. . .. .. . . . 210
15. Cassius Dio on the Revolt of Bar Kokhba ....................... 211
Postscript .. .. . . .. . .. .. . .. .. .. . . .. .. .. . . .. . .. .. . . .. .. . .. .. .. .. . .. .. . .. . .. .. . .. .. . .. .. . .. .. . 219
16. B. Isaac and A. Oppenheimer, The Revolt of Bar
Kokhba: Scholarship and Ideology . .. .. . .. .. .. . . .. .. ... . .. .. .. . .. .. 220
Postscript ................................................................................. 253
17 . Ethnic Groups in Judaea under Roman Rule .................. 25 7
Postscript . .. .. . . .. . . .. . .. . .. .. .. .. .. .. ..... ... .. .. . ... .. .. .. .. . .. .. . .. . .. .. ........ ... .. . . 266
18. Orientals and Jews in the Historia Augusta:
Fourth-Century Prejudice and Stereotypes .................... 268
Postscript .. .. .. ... . ... .. ... .. . .. .. . .. .. .. .. . .. . .. .. . .. . .. .. ... .. .. . .. .. . .. .. .. . .. . . .. . . .. . 283
19. Eusebius and the Geography of Roman Provinces .......... 284
Postscript ................................................................................. 307
Arabia and Syria
20. The Decapolis in Syria: A Neglected Inscription ............. 313
Postscript .. .. ..... .. ... . .. . .. . .. . .. ... . .. .. . .. .. .. .. .. . .. .. ...... .. ... .. . .. . .. . . .. .. . .. .. . 321
21. Tax Collection in Roman Arabia: New Evidence from
the Babatha Archive ........................................................ 322
Postscript ....................... .......................................................... 333
22. Review article: 'Inscriptions from Southern Jordan:
M. Sartre, Inscriptions grecques et latines de la Syrie,
Tome xxi, Inscriptions de la Jordanie, Tome iv: Petra
et la Nabatene meridionale, du wadi al-Hasa au golfe
de <Aqaba (Paris, 1993)' .................................................. 334
Postscript ................................................................................. 342
1he Roman Amry, General
23. The Meaning of limes and limitanei, in Ancient
Sources .. . . . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . ... . .. ... .. .. .. .. ... ... . .. . . .. . . ... . .. . . . .. . ... .. .. . .. .. .. 345
Postscript .. .. .. .. .. . ... . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. .. . ... .. . .. .. . . .. . . ... . ... ... .. .. .. ... . ... . .. . .. . 380
CONTENfS VU
24. Hierarchy and Command-Structure in the Roman
Anny ................................................................................. 388
Postscript .. . .. .. .. . .. . .. . .. .. . .. . .. . . .. .. . .. . . .. . . .. . . . .. . . .. . . .. . . .. . . .. . . . .. .. . . .. . .. . . . 402
25. An Open Frontier ................................................................ 403
Postscript ................................................................................. 426
26. Military Diplomas and Extraordinary Levies for
Campaigns ........................................................................ 427
The Late Roman Amzy
27. The Anny in the Late Roman East: The Persian Wars
and the Defence of the Byzantine Provinces ................ 437
Postscript .. . . .. .. .. . .. . .. .. . .. . .. . .. . . . . .. . .. . .. .. . .. . . . .. . . .. . .. .. . .. . . .. . . . .. . .. . .. . . .. . 46 7
Index ............................................................................................ 471

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
Map
Roman Roads in Judaea and Arabia (drawn by I. Roll
and 0. Paran) ......................................................................... XIX
Pl,ates
1. A fragmentary inscription from Jamnia-on-the-Sea 4
2. A fragmentary inscription from Jerusalem in the
reign of Herod ..................................................................... 23
3. Inscription A from Tell Abu Shusha ............................... 32
4. Inscription B from Tell Abu Shusha ............................... 33
5. Milestone of A.D. 69 .......................................................... 37
6. Milestone of A.D. 69: the lettering ................................... 37
7. Inscribed pillar from Jerusalem ........................................ 77
8. Inscribed pillar from Jerusalem: the lettering ................. 77
9. Milestone of A.D. 120: upper part .................................... 197
10. Milestone of A.D. 120 ........................................................ 200
11. Milestone of A.D. 120: detail .. .. .... .. .... .. .... .. .. .. .. .... .... .... .. .. . 209
Figures
1. Inscription from Jerusalem: the find-spot .......................... 22
2. Inscription from Jerusalem: the find-spot .......................... 22
3. Later Hadrianic milestone: the lettering ............................ 185
4. Milestone of A.D. 120: the lettering .... .. .... .. .. .. ...... .... .... .. .. . 185
5. Milestone of A.D. 120: the lettering ................................... 205