Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-l7hp2 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-28T00:03:53.639Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Cremna in Pisidia: a re-appraisal of the siege works

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 December 2013

G. Davies
Affiliation:
Institute of Archaeology, London

Extract

The only significant occasion that Cremna emerges from the shadows of historical obscurity is during its siege by Roman forces in the third century AD. Our sole surviving source for this incident is the account related by Zosimus which, despite covering two generous paragraphs of text, remains a collage of anecdotal observations of limited application to the student of siege operations. Notwithstanding the weaknesses of the literary evidence, an archaeological survey conducted with the assistance of the British Institute of Archaeology at Ankara in the mid 1980s, revealed that substantial elements of the Roman siege system still survived in situ. The recently published account of this survey (Mitchell et al 1995) presents a number of interesting arguments concerning the tactical role of these siege works and their relationship to the local topography. In the course of more general research into Roman siege works, the author undertook a field inspection of the site in September 1997 and would suggest that certain aspects of the published analysis require further refinement. This paper is intended to address these outstanding issues. The helpful comments made by Professors S Mitchell and J J Wilkes and Dr J J Coulton in respect of an earlier draft, are gratefully acknowledged.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © The British Institute at Ankara 2000

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Andrae, W 1912: Nach Aufnahmen von Mitgliedern der Assur-Expedition der Deutschen Orient Gesellschaft. Vol II. Einzelbeschreibung der Ruinen (Wissenschaftliche Veröffentlichung der Deutschen Orient-Gesellschaft 21). LeipzigGoogle Scholar
Appian, , Roman History trans White, H. Loeb Classical Library 1912Google Scholar
Caesar, , De Bello Gallico trans Edwards, H J. Loeb Classical Library 1994Google Scholar
Davies, G 1996: ‘A review of Cremna in Pisidia: an ancient city in peace and warPapers from the Institute of Archaeology 7: 91–2Google Scholar
Harmand, J 1967: Une Campagne Césarienne, Alésia. ParisGoogle Scholar
Jobey, G 1978: ‘Burnswark Hill, DumfriesshireTransactions of the Dumfriesshire and Galloway Natural History and Antiquarian Society 53: 57104Google Scholar
Josephus, , Bellum Judaicum trans St J Thackeray, H. Loeb Classical Library 1927Google Scholar
Mitchell, S 1988: ‘The siege of Cremna’ in French, D H, Lightfoot, C S (eds), The Eastern Frontiers of the Roman Empire (BAR International Series 553(i)). Oxford: 311–28Google Scholar
Mitchell, S 1999: ‘Native rebellion in the Pisidian Taurus’ in Hopwood, K. (ed), Organised Crime in Antiquity. London: 155–75Google Scholar
Mitchell, S, Cormack, S, Fursdon, R, Owens, E, Öztürk, J, 1995: Cremna in Pisidia: An Ancient City in Peace and War. LondonCrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mitchell, S, Waelkens, M, 1987: ‘Sagalassus and Cremna 1986Anatolian Studies 37: 3747CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mitchell, S, Waelkens, M, 1988: ‘Cremna and Sagalassus 1987Anatolian Studies 38: 5365Google Scholar
Plutarch, , Crassus trans Perrin, B.. Loeb Classical Library 1916Google Scholar
Polybius, , The Histories trans Paton, W. R.. Loeb Classical Library 1925Google Scholar
Richmond, I A, 1962: ‘The Roman siege-works of MasadaJournal of Roman Studies 52: 142–55Google Scholar
Strobel, A, 1974: ‘Das römische Belagerungswerk um MacharusZeitschrift des deutschen Palästinavereins 40: 128–84Google Scholar
Ussishkin, D, 1993: ‘Archaeological soundings at Betar, Bar-Kochba's last strongholdTel Aviv 20: 6697CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Zosimus, , Nea Historia trans Ridley, R. T.. Association for Byzantine Studies 1990Google Scholar