Arabia Petraea

  • Arabia Petraea was a Roman Province located in the area of modern Jordan.

1. History

  • Pre-Roman history:
    • This area is one of the Cradles of Civilisation known as ‘The fertile Crescent’. It ran from Egypt to Mesopotamia, and gave rise to many Empires, Persian, Macedonian Greek and Ptolemaic Egyptian.
    • Nabataean Kingdom
      • This Kingdom was an Empire which peaked between 168 BCE and 106 CE, and was based on the city of Petra.
    • Decapolis
      • These were ten cities of Greek and Roman culture, as opposed to their neighboring cities in Judaea, Syria and Arabia, which were of Aramaic, Nabatean and Jewish culture.
      • The Decapolis was not a union or League, but the cities were interconnected by a Roman road network and eventually all had their centres rebuilt on the Roman grid system with Roman Temples and Public buildings.
      • The cities were: 1. Gerasa (Jordan), 2. Scythopolis (Jordan), 3. Hippos (Israel), 4. Gadara (Jordan) 5. Pella (Jordan), 6. Philadelphia (Amman, Jordan), 7. Capitolias (Jordan), 8. Canatha (Syria), 9. Raphana (Jordan), 10. Damascus (Syria).
  • Acquisition by Rome:
  • Timeline of this Province:
    • In 175 CE Arabia did not support, Gaius Avidius Cassius, the Roman General and Imperial legate of Syria, who proclaimed himself Emperor afterreceiving a false report of Marcus Aurelius‘ Death. As a Usurper he was declared by the Roman Senate a Public Enemy. He lasted 3 months and 6 days before he was assassinated by one of his own centurions.
  • After Diocletian’s Reforms (297 CE):
    • The Province became part of the Prefecture of Oriens.
  • After Death of Theodosius and the split into Eastern and Western Empire (395 CE):
    • In 410 CE Aqaba (Ayla) became home to Legio X Fretensis (10th Legion of the Sea Strait).
    • The Province was enlarged to include part of the former Judaea. It became part of the Diocese of Oriens, under the Prefecture of Oriens and remained part of the Eastern Roman Empire.
  • Famous Persons from this Province:
  • Chief archeological Finds:
  • Historic Battle Sites:
  • Main Historical Sources for this Province:

2. Geography

  • Capital City:
    • Petra
    • Bostra (the capital alternated at different periods)
  • Chief Cities:
    • Hegra (Mada’in Saleh), Aqaba (Aila), (Berenice to the Ptolemaic Greeks), Amman (Philadelphia, which was part of the Decapolis), Jerash (formerly part of the Decapolis)
  • Location Today:
  • Neighbouring Roman Provinces:
  • Climate and Temperature Today:
    • Winter:
      • January is the coldest month at 5-10°C
    • Summer:
      • August is the hottest month at 20-35°C
    • Winds:
      • The Shamal, blows from the north during June to September for up to 9 days at a time.
      • The Khamsin, a Sirocco style wind, blows from the south, increases temperatures to 40°C and can cause Sandstorms.
    • Rainfall:
      • November to March: 70% of the Rainfall falls in this period.
      • No rain June to August. Rain often falls during violent storms.
    • Areas:
      • Jordan valley and Gulf of Aqaba: low altitude so very hot and humid.
      • Aqaba: is warm all year round.
      • Higher Central and Northern areas: cooler.
      • Amman and Petra: can receive snow.
      • The Deserts: drop below freezing at night.
  • Main Geographical features:
    • The Jordan Valley: Part of the Great Rift Valley from Lebanon to Mozambique.
    • The north-south mountain range to the east of it, where most of the rainfall occurs.
    • The deserts to the east of the Great Rift
    • Gulf of Aqaba
    • Sinai Peninsular
  • Main Rivers:
    • The River Jordan which runs into the Sea of Galilee then empties into the Dead Sea.
  • The Dead Sea
    • Also known as ‘The Salt Sea’, it is the world’s lowest saline lake at 1,388 ft (423m) below sea level. It is 42 miles long (67 km) and 11 miles wide (18 km).
  • Mountain Ranges:
    • Abarim Range
      • East of the R. Jordan. Mount Nebo is on top of Mount Pisgah.
      • It is parallel to Dead Sea.
    • Mountains of the Sinai Peninsular
  • Islands: None

3. Political Organisation

  • Province Type:
  • Governor:
    • Propraetor
    • T. Aninius Sextius Florentinus Governor (127 CE).
  • Tribes and Population:
    • Nabataeans who were Arabs, and the Saraceni, a nomadic desert tribe.
  • Language:
    • Greek, which, after the Roman occupation, supplanted Nabataean and Aramaic.
  • Arabia was divided into three Zones:
    1. Arabia Felix (Happy Arabia):
      • Southern Arabia and Yemen: this divided amongst 4 main Kingdoms who all had advanced hydraulic systems in place:
        • Sabaean Kingdom
          • The Yemen. Its capital was at Marib (or possibly Sheba), and later at Sana (Sanaa).
          • This was the most powerful Kingdom.
        • Kingdom of Ma’in
          • The capital was at Timna.
          • It controlled the Incense trade.
        • Kingdom of Hadramaut
          • The capital was at Sabwa.
          • Incense and Cinnamon was traded through their Port of Cana (Mukalla)
        • Kingdom of Zufar
          • Modern Oman. Its capital was the lost city of Iram of the Pillars also known as Ubar, of which nothing is known.
    2. Arabia Deserta:
      • (Desert Arabia) Modern Eastern Syria and Iraq: Cities: Palmyra, Emesa, Edessa, Hatra, Characene and Gerrha.
    3. Arabia Petrae:
      • Modern Jordan and Southern Syria, the northwestern part of Arabia, ruled from Petra.
      • The Nabataeans were based at Petra, on the route between Mesopotamia and Egypt

4. Military Organisation

5. Economy

  • Chief Exports:
  • Agriculture and Fishing:
    • Olives, Figs, fruit and vegetables from the river irrigated Jordan Valley.
    • Cereals from the uplands watered by the rains.
  • Manufacturing:
  • Mines:
    • Copper Mines
      • Timna, north of Eilat.
      • Wadi Faynan
        • 50 miles (80km) north of Petra 14 square miles (36 square km) of Roman Copper mining and smelting.
    • Turqoise Mines
      • There were two mines in the Sinai Peninsular:
      • Wadi Maghareh (Egyptian Temples and mines) and Serabit el-Khadim.
      • Christians were sentenced to Slavery in these two mines during the Diocletianic Persecution
  • Mints:

6. Transport

7. Relationship with Rome

  • A very loyal Province, unlike Syria. It never allied itself with the Syrian Governors who frequently rebelled.
  • It became the launch base for Septimius Severus attack against Syria.
  • It was Hellenised and Greek speaking, with very few Latin inscriptions.
  • The Acquisition of the Nabataean Kingdom in 106 CE and the building of the Road linking the Red Sea with Syria, may have been part of Trajan‘s plan to attack the Parthian Empire. He had delayed the announcement of it’s acquisition until 115 CE, when the Via Traiana was finally completed.
  • The Nabatean Kingdom had monopolised the Silk Road and the Incense Road, two lucrative trade routes which Rome now inherited.

8. History of Christianity in this Province

9. Roman Authors describing this Province

10. Films

 

Arabia Petraea

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