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Qasr Bshir: Conserving a special Roman fort
Current World Archaeology
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AMMAN
— An insignificant tarmac road leading off Jordan’s Desert Highway about 80km
south of Amman soon becomes a dirt track across the desert. The landscape looks
bare all around. No habitation can be seen, apart from a small modern farm in a
side valley. The desert rolls on. اضافة اعلان
And then, a speck on the horizon. A dark form, barely visible. Gradually, it becomes larger until it is a recognisable building: a square fortification with large towers at each corner. This is Qasr Bshir. And the visitor has just experienced one of the most sublime journeys to any Roman fort anywhere.
On arrival, most visitors must have similar thoughts. Why was a Roman fort built here in the middle of nowhere? What did the soldiers do? Where did their supplies come from? Happily, the ruins of Qasr Bshir present answers as well as questions.
Today, the fort offers an iconic example of a Roman military installation. While a powerful imagination is often essential for visitors seeking to appreciate the former scale of even comparatively well-preserved Roman forts, Qasr Bshir is different. Its imposing corner towers still stand three stories — that is, 13m — high, while a Latin dedication slab commemorating the construction of the post still greets anyone passing through the main entrance. Erecting such texts was once standard practice, but now Qasr Bshir finds itself unique as the sole example of a Roman fort where the original building inscription is in situ over the gateway. How long this will remain the case is a different matter, as the inscription is cracked in two places. It is just one of several conservation concerns that have been flagged up.
Efforts to address these concerns have recently gained momentum. In September of last year, HRH Prince Hassan launched a new publication, “The Frontiers of the Roman Empire: The Eastern Frontiers, in Amman”. Three of the authors were present: Fawzi Abudanah of Al-Hussain bin Talal University, Mark Driessen of Leiden University, and David Breeze.
A desert fortExploring the ruins of Qasr Bshir reveals much about this military post. It is almost square in plan, measuring about 57m by 54m, which is small by Roman fort standards. The same cannot be said of the masonry used to build it. Some of these stones are enormous — megalithic is an appropriate description. This massive masonry may have been intended to overawe onlookers; the inside walls, however, were plastered.
The great corner towers would also have made an impression. These have three rooms on each floor, and it remains possible to climb to the top via a set of stairs and landings arranged around a central column in a manner likened to a “square spiral staircase”. Preservation is such that visitors can still observe the small hole in the stone door jambs where a piece of leather could hold the door fast.
Between each pair of corner towers were ranges of two-story buildings set against the rampart. Most of the lower rooms contain three mangers built into the curtain wall, suggesting that this space served as stables with — presumably — three horses in each room. The soldiers will have been quartered on the floor above.
One room, positioned directly opposite the fort entrance, is notable for the absence of any mangers. This, coupled with the existence of similarly placed examples elsewhere, suggests that the structure was a temple. As well as providing a focus for religious life in the fort, this was where the unit standards would have been kept.
The eastern frontier of an empireThe inscription over the main entrance tells us that the installation, Castra Praetorium Mobene by name, was built during the reign of the emperor Diocletian and his colleagues between 293 and 305 CE, under the governor of the province of Arabia. As well as providing unequivocal evidence for when the fort was founded, this helps us to date the whole framework of defense in this section of the eastern frontier.
Diocletian’s measures included strengthening the eastern defenses of the empire against its neighbor, the kingdom of Persia, which was then in the hands of a new dynasty of strong rulers known as the Sassanids. Possibly the emperor also had in mind the task of defending his people against a different enemy, the Saracens, who undertook hit-and-run raids against the Romans.
In order to achieve this, a line of new forts — including Qasr Bshir — was built along the frontier. The northerly forts on this line were linked by a road, the strata Diocletiana, although it did not extend as far south as Qasr Bshir. Even so, this answers the question of what the fort was doing. Rather than standing as a lone sentinel in a vast wilderness, it formed a crucial link in a chain of posts.
The location of the fort was well chosen, as it had good visibility in all directions except towards the south. Indeed, the Romans were probably not the first to appreciate the potential of the setting. Instead, the fort appears to sit on the site of an earlier Nabataean tower.
Finding resources in a parched landEven so, the position was not without its constraints. In a desert, water is always a problem, especially as there was no oasis near the fort. To make up for this, a reservoir where rainfall could be collected was created about 600m away, while two cisterns lay within the fort courtyard.
And there was rain at Qasr Bshir. The line of forts constructed by Diocletian’s officers lay on the 200mm isohyet: the point at which agriculture remained possible because of sufficient precipitation. Sure enough, there is evidence for farming in the area during antiquity, when rainfall in the region was higher and more evenly distributed than nowadays.
Harvested water was essential for animals as well as humans and, as we have seen, the internal arrangements of the fort indicate that it contained horses. Some might suspect that camels would be a better bet — and the Roman army did have camel-riders — but the surrounding terrain is good for horses. They would not be struggling over a soft, sandy expanse of desert, as the ground in the region has a hard, stony surface.
The final question — where did the supplies come from — is not so easy to answer, except to note that the Roman army was very efficient at supplying even its most-outlying installations. We can be certain that the military rose to the logistical challenges posed by Qasr Bshir with its customary aplomb, as the fort remained in occupation for at least 100 years. Indeed, it was later occupied by the army of the Arab Umayyad Caliphate.
Discovering Qasr BshirIt was in 1897 and 1898 that two ancient historians, Rudolf Ernst Brünnow and Alfred von Domaszewski — both from the University of Heidelberg — mounted an expedition to the Roman province of Arabia, visiting Qasr Bshir, or Kasr Bser as they called it.
Their account of the site was published between 1904 and 1909, in three volumes entitled “Die Provincie Arabia”. They photographed the site and were the first to record the inscription over the entrance. In their photograph, cracks are already visible. The main change since their visit is a noticeable subsidence in the stone, so that its parts no longer sit neatly together. Further, the stones above are not secured by mortar and thus in danger of collapse.
Qasr Bshir todayQasr Bshir is magnificent even in decline. It sits majestically in the landscape, master of all it surveys. On approaching the site, however, it is clear that the structure is damaged. This includes the catastrophic collapse of numerous walls, so that the fort is now surrounded by a jumble of enormous stones. Inside, it is no different. Trying to navigate the interior is a hazardous exercise. It is apparent, too, that some stones rest precariously overhead, and it is natural to wonder how much longer they will remain in place.
A survey of the fort by Professor Ignacio Arce in 2006 revealed points of particular concern, most importantly the corner towers. In one case, the external corner of the superstructure now rests on a single cornerstone at its base. This sole support is in danger of being crushed by the weight overhead.
Looters have removed stones at the rear of some of the mangers, again threatening their stability. Every photograph of the fort reveals major cracks that require “stitching” if the structure is to be properly stabilized. Remedying these problems would pose a challenge anywhere, but in a fragile landscape, where there is no electricity supply, and all traces of the interventions must be removed, they present Herculean tasks.
One of the necessary requirements in the process to create new World Heritage sites is a demonstration that the property can be properly conserved and managed, a very necessary action at Qasr Bshir. Once these works are undertaken, we are confident that Qasr Bshir will retain its status as the best-preserved Roman fort for generations to come.
This article was originally published in the magazine “Current World Archaeology” on March 23, 2023.
Read more Around Jordan
Jordan News
And then, a speck on the horizon. A dark form, barely visible. Gradually, it becomes larger until it is a recognisable building: a square fortification with large towers at each corner. This is Qasr Bshir. And the visitor has just experienced one of the most sublime journeys to any Roman fort anywhere.
On arrival, most visitors must have similar thoughts. Why was a Roman fort built here in the middle of nowhere? What did the soldiers do? Where did their supplies come from? Happily, the ruins of Qasr Bshir present answers as well as questions.
Today, the fort offers an iconic example of a Roman military installation. While a powerful imagination is often essential for visitors seeking to appreciate the former scale of even comparatively well-preserved Roman forts, Qasr Bshir is different. Its imposing corner towers still stand three stories — that is, 13m — high, while a Latin dedication slab commemorating the construction of the post still greets anyone passing through the main entrance. Erecting such texts was once standard practice, but now Qasr Bshir finds itself unique as the sole example of a Roman fort where the original building inscription is in situ over the gateway. How long this will remain the case is a different matter, as the inscription is cracked in two places. It is just one of several conservation concerns that have been flagged up.
Efforts to address these concerns have recently gained momentum. In September of last year, HRH Prince Hassan launched a new publication, “The Frontiers of the Roman Empire: The Eastern Frontiers, in Amman”. Three of the authors were present: Fawzi Abudanah of Al-Hussain bin Talal University, Mark Driessen of Leiden University, and David Breeze.
Why was a Roman fort built here in the middle of nowhere? What did the soldiers do? Where did their supplies come from?The following day, they visited Qasr Bshir, noted the deterioration of the dedication slab, and decided that it was time to tackle its conservation. Within days, HRH Prince Hassan had agreed to serve as patron of the newly named Qasr Bshir Conservation Project, Richard Beleson had offered a grant to cover the cost of the conservation of the entrance, and a group of international Roman scholars had agreed to offer their names to a support group. Here, the three promoters of the project explain the history of Qasr Bshir, its importance, and their plans for its future.
A desert fortExploring the ruins of Qasr Bshir reveals much about this military post. It is almost square in plan, measuring about 57m by 54m, which is small by Roman fort standards. The same cannot be said of the masonry used to build it. Some of these stones are enormous — megalithic is an appropriate description. This massive masonry may have been intended to overawe onlookers; the inside walls, however, were plastered.
The great corner towers would also have made an impression. These have three rooms on each floor, and it remains possible to climb to the top via a set of stairs and landings arranged around a central column in a manner likened to a “square spiral staircase”. Preservation is such that visitors can still observe the small hole in the stone door jambs where a piece of leather could hold the door fast.
Between each pair of corner towers were ranges of two-story buildings set against the rampart. Most of the lower rooms contain three mangers built into the curtain wall, suggesting that this space served as stables with — presumably — three horses in each room. The soldiers will have been quartered on the floor above.
One room, positioned directly opposite the fort entrance, is notable for the absence of any mangers. This, coupled with the existence of similarly placed examples elsewhere, suggests that the structure was a temple. As well as providing a focus for religious life in the fort, this was where the unit standards would have been kept.
The eastern frontier of an empireThe inscription over the main entrance tells us that the installation, Castra Praetorium Mobene by name, was built during the reign of the emperor Diocletian and his colleagues between 293 and 305 CE, under the governor of the province of Arabia. As well as providing unequivocal evidence for when the fort was founded, this helps us to date the whole framework of defense in this section of the eastern frontier.
While a powerful imagination is often essential for visitors seeking to appreciate the former scale of even comparatively well-preserved Roman forts, Qasr Bshir is different.In particular, it reveals that the security arrangements were overhauled after the empire had weathered 50 years of turmoil, which included invasion, civil war, and violent political instability. Eventually, in 284, a soldier by the name of Diocles seized the empire, changed his name to Diocletian, and began a renewal that ushered in a new phase in the long history of the Roman Empire. Today we call this era “the late Roman Empire”.
Diocletian’s measures included strengthening the eastern defenses of the empire against its neighbor, the kingdom of Persia, which was then in the hands of a new dynasty of strong rulers known as the Sassanids. Possibly the emperor also had in mind the task of defending his people against a different enemy, the Saracens, who undertook hit-and-run raids against the Romans.
In order to achieve this, a line of new forts — including Qasr Bshir — was built along the frontier. The northerly forts on this line were linked by a road, the strata Diocletiana, although it did not extend as far south as Qasr Bshir. Even so, this answers the question of what the fort was doing. Rather than standing as a lone sentinel in a vast wilderness, it formed a crucial link in a chain of posts.
The location of the fort was well chosen, as it had good visibility in all directions except towards the south. Indeed, the Romans were probably not the first to appreciate the potential of the setting. Instead, the fort appears to sit on the site of an earlier Nabataean tower.
Finding resources in a parched landEven so, the position was not without its constraints. In a desert, water is always a problem, especially as there was no oasis near the fort. To make up for this, a reservoir where rainfall could be collected was created about 600m away, while two cisterns lay within the fort courtyard.
And there was rain at Qasr Bshir. The line of forts constructed by Diocletian’s officers lay on the 200mm isohyet: the point at which agriculture remained possible because of sufficient precipitation. Sure enough, there is evidence for farming in the area during antiquity, when rainfall in the region was higher and more evenly distributed than nowadays.
Harvested water was essential for animals as well as humans and, as we have seen, the internal arrangements of the fort indicate that it contained horses. Some might suspect that camels would be a better bet — and the Roman army did have camel-riders — but the surrounding terrain is good for horses. They would not be struggling over a soft, sandy expanse of desert, as the ground in the region has a hard, stony surface.
Founding Qasr Bshir was not just about creating a military strongpoint in the landscape, it also established a base for cavalry patrols monitoring activity over a much wider area.This, then, provides a sense of what the garrison was doing. Founding Qasr Bshir was not just about creating a military strongpoint in the landscape, it also established a base for cavalry patrols monitoring activity over a much wider area.
The final question — where did the supplies come from — is not so easy to answer, except to note that the Roman army was very efficient at supplying even its most-outlying installations. We can be certain that the military rose to the logistical challenges posed by Qasr Bshir with its customary aplomb, as the fort remained in occupation for at least 100 years. Indeed, it was later occupied by the army of the Arab Umayyad Caliphate.
Discovering Qasr BshirIt was in 1897 and 1898 that two ancient historians, Rudolf Ernst Brünnow and Alfred von Domaszewski — both from the University of Heidelberg — mounted an expedition to the Roman province of Arabia, visiting Qasr Bshir, or Kasr Bser as they called it.
Their account of the site was published between 1904 and 1909, in three volumes entitled “Die Provincie Arabia”. They photographed the site and were the first to record the inscription over the entrance. In their photograph, cracks are already visible. The main change since their visit is a noticeable subsidence in the stone, so that its parts no longer sit neatly together. Further, the stones above are not secured by mortar and thus in danger of collapse.
Qasr Bshir todayQasr Bshir is magnificent even in decline. It sits majestically in the landscape, master of all it surveys. On approaching the site, however, it is clear that the structure is damaged. This includes the catastrophic collapse of numerous walls, so that the fort is now surrounded by a jumble of enormous stones. Inside, it is no different. Trying to navigate the interior is a hazardous exercise. It is apparent, too, that some stones rest precariously overhead, and it is natural to wonder how much longer they will remain in place.
A survey of the fort by Professor Ignacio Arce in 2006 revealed points of particular concern, most importantly the corner towers. In one case, the external corner of the superstructure now rests on a single cornerstone at its base. This sole support is in danger of being crushed by the weight overhead.
Looters have removed stones at the rear of some of the mangers, again threatening their stability. Every photograph of the fort reveals major cracks that require “stitching” if the structure is to be properly stabilized. Remedying these problems would pose a challenge anywhere, but in a fragile landscape, where there is no electricity supply, and all traces of the interventions must be removed, they present Herculean tasks.
Qasr Bshir is magnificent even in decline. It sits majestically in the landscape, master of all it surveys.For now, the main entrance and its cracked inscription are our primary concerns. Discussions are under way on the best course of action. While these take place, Qasr Bshir is on the Jordanian Tentative List as a potential UNESCO World Heritage site.
One of the necessary requirements in the process to create new World Heritage sites is a demonstration that the property can be properly conserved and managed, a very necessary action at Qasr Bshir. Once these works are undertaken, we are confident that Qasr Bshir will retain its status as the best-preserved Roman fort for generations to come.
This article was originally published in the magazine “Current World Archaeology” on March 23, 2023.
Read more Around Jordan
Jordan News
