Syria (Roman province)

A province border and one of the most important armies of the empire

The army of Syria was one of most important empire. It counted three legions. It was to protect the province against the powerful empire from the Parthes which extended beyond Euphrate. Sometimes she sought to extend to its depend, as at the time of the reign of Trajan. The army of Syria could also face local revolts, like those of the Juifs. Under Marc Aurèle and Lucius Verus, a new war opposed Parthes and Romains. The power of the army of Syria made that on several occasions she played a part at the time of the civil wars which opposed several applicants to the empire. Thus, at the first century, it is the army of Syria which carried Vespasien to the capacity. She also decided in favor of Avidius Cassius in 175 and of Pescennius Niger in 193. But neither one nor the other could reign legitimately. It is this political role of the army of the province of Syria which carried Septime Sévère to decrease the power of its governor towards 197. For that, it divided the province into two smaller provinces: Syria Coele in north and Syria Phénicie in the south. At the third century, the army of the provinces of Syria must face the dynasty of the Sassanides and with its Perse empire which replaced the Parthian empire. It undergoes serious defeats, in particular vis-a-vis King Shapur Ier (or Sapor Ier) in 260. The area then passed under the command the noble ones of Palmyre which organized the local defense of the empire. The emperor Aurélien brought back the province of Syria in the bosom of the empire in 272. The defense of the area vis-a-vis Persians remained a major stake of the Roman empire until the Arab invasions.

Political history (64 av. J. - C. - 211)

The Syria was conquered by Pompée in 64 av J-C and was reduced in Roman Province. It is indeed, in 63 front JC, that Pompée, after having overcome the king Mithridate VI, transformed the kingdom close to Syria into Roman province, putting thus fine at the dynasty Séleucide, the acquisition of the territory was however not its original mission.

The government of this rich person area was quickly a major stake in Rome. Crassus which had obtained it there found death by trying a military forwarding against Parthes into 53 before J. - C with Carrhae (or Carrhes). Under Auguste, the province was placed on the authority of a imperial Légat consular Propréteur of row, resident with Antioche, the capital. The borders of the province knew modifications on several occasions. The kingdom of Judaea become province was famous Syria Palestine during the reign of the emperor Hadrian but did not belong to the province of Syria itself. The borders also varied with the Arabia nabatéenne. Syria included Iturée and the territory of Palmyre. If the conquests of Trajan were transitory, the border on Euphrate was durably moved until Doura Europos at the time of the parthic war of Lucius Verus between 162 and 166.

Starting from second half of the second century, the Roman Sénat includes/understands a big number of Syrians, thus Claudius Pompeianus or Avidius Cassius under Marc Aurèle. In first half of the third century, Syrians reach the imperial capacity, with the dynasty of the Sévères.

In 193, after the death of Pertinax, the army of Syria proclaims its governor, Pescennius Niger, emperor. It deals with Septime Sévère and east demolishes by him into 197. Septime Sévère then pushes its campaigns in direction of the Parthes empire, annexing part of Mésopotamie, plundering the towns of Ctésiphon and Séleucie of the Tiger.

After having created the new province of Mésopotamie, Septime Sévère divided the province of Syria into two: Syria Coele (or Syria itself) in north, with Antioche for capital, and Syria-Phénicie in the south, with Tyr or Émèse like capital. The Roman province of Coele-Syria thus did not recover completely what one called the Cœlé-Syria at the time hellenistic.

Roman Syria vis-a-vis the threats of the third century (211-284)

During the third century the political history of the provinces of Syria becomes inseparable from the military questions: the pressure exerted by the Sassanide empire and the Roman defeats involve political upheavals.

The countryside decided by Caracalla against Persians brought the emperor in Syria into 215, but was hardly conclusive. Killed near Carrhae in April 217, the son of Septime Sévère is replaced by Macrin, his Préfet of the court. Macrin tries to continue the campaigns of Caracalla and directs the empire since Antioche. It must quickly face the usurpation of Élagabal, originating in Émèse. Overcome, Macrin escapes before being killed in July 218. Élagabal is then fourteen years old, he is the male heir to a local dynasty which asserts for her the capacity imperial and wire-drawer for that of its relationship with Septime Sévère: Varius Avitus Bassianus says Élagabal is a great nephew of the second woman of Severe, Julia Domna. Its family however asserts for him the wire title of Caracalla. The young age of the prince make that these are the relationships - in particular his/her grandmother Julia Maesa - which exert the reality of the direction of the empire, while being pressed on the high-ranking persons of the state.

Large priest of the principal divinity of Émèse, and without regard for the Roman traditional religion, the Élagabal young person corresponds only little to the criteria awaited by the Romans. D' Émèse its court moved in Antioche then in Rome, where it arrives into 219, bringing with him its worship. Until 235 its family reigns on the empire. The behavior of Élagabal shocking the senatorial mediums and the Roman people, it is eliminated into 222 and is replaced by his/her cousin Sévère Alexandre, him also strong young person and controlling using his relationships and of a council of famous senators. In 231, the Persian threat the fact of returning to Syria for campaigns can conclusive before more serious threats do not attract it on the Rhine. Consequently the empire is threatened on two principal faces of which one is near Syria.

Incapacity to face simultaneously with these two threats emerge from many usurpations, each area threatened demanding that an emperor protects it. Syria does not escape this fate. In 242, the threat of Sapor Ier involves the return of an emperor in Syria, Gordien III, but its defeat involves its replacement by Philippe the Arab originating in the province close to Arabia into 244. If this last must go back to Rome to ensure the legitimacy of its capacity, it on the spot leaves his brother, Caius Julius Priscus, prefect of the court with capacities important on Syria and the close areas.

However Philippe is killed in Occident where the imperial proclamations follow one another until that of Valérien into 253. The same Sapor year carried out a devastating offensive against the empire Roman and penetrated very front in Syria taking Antioche and of many cities. notable Uranius Antoninus of Émèse organizes the defense of the province and for this reason takes the imperial title, this transitory usurpation (253-254) being known only by currencies. From 254 Valérien settles essentially in Syria, leaving the Occident of the empire under the responsibility of his/her son Gallien, except perhaps for a short passage to Rome into 257. That is not however enough to ensure the durable defense of the province, and year 260 is that of a catastrophe: Valérien is captured by Sapor! Part of the provinces of Occident make secession according to the usurper Postumus and Macrien proclaims emperor in the East. It is however overcome with Quiétus his son into 261 by Odénath important character of Palmyre. Consequently it is the latter which really controls, from Syria, the East of the empire, even if he recognizes the capacity of Gallien. It however takes the title of imperator and king of the kings. Its assassination towards 267 by his/her Hairan son does not move away the capacity from its family: it is its widow Zénobie who seizes the power and gives the title of Auguste to her son Vaballath (271). In 272 however Aurélien restores the unit of the empire at the time of a campaign directed against Syria during which it captures Zénobie. In Persia Sapor Ier dies, and its immediate successors have only short reigns: the most dangerous enemy of the empire is not any more. Palmyre being again revolted was caught and plundered into 273 by Aurélien which turns over to celebrate its triumph in Rome.

The distance of the Persian threat involves a retreat of the political importance of Syria in the choice of the emperors, and the usurpation of Caius Julius Saturninus in 281 is very short, it finishes quickly killed by its soldiers. In 283 Carus conducts brilliant campaigns against Persians but dies after having taken Ctésiphon and Séleucie of the Tiger. The Roman military forces turn over towards the Occident where Dioclétien seizes the power into 284.

Economy, cultures and religions

A very rich province

The province very rich and was very populated. By the ports of the coast (Sidon, Tyr, Césarée…) and caravan cities (Palmyre, Antioche, Damas…) forwarded the trade between Rome and the East. The caravans left then for Arabia, Mésopotamie and the silk route.

The area is characterized by three forms of different reliefs and the Mediterranean trilogy (corn/wine/oil).

The craft industry is very present:

ceramic
glass (sand melted with high degree, not completely transparent)
parchment (calfskin)
construction of ship out of wooden.

The trade is also intense thanks to Phéniciens which supports it developing the silk route. The trade of spices is also very active.

Cultural diversity and nun

There are three principal languages: Greek especially in the cities, Araméen and the Pablais (Iranian language). The language mainly spoken remained the Araméen and of the Semitic dialects. Syria gave several great writers of Greek language to the Roman empire: Lucien de Samosate at the second century, Libanios at the Lower Empire.

The diversity of the populations is one of the characteristics of Syria which sees cohabiting on its ground of the inhabitants of very diverse origins and with the very different lifestyles: Syrian peasants of the mountains or the plains, descendants of the Greek colonists in general in the cities, soldiers Roman, Arab merchants palmyrénéens, Jewish communities, nomads etc

Syria has its own gods like the Astarte goddess, or Elagabal, but it adopts the Greek gods like Tyché and Latin like Venus (goddess of the victory and the physical love), or at least their appearance. Many cities of Syria have to them ba' Al, Divinité poliade of local origin. Syria is thus a province where of important movement of syncretism develop. After the conversion of holy Paul to the way of Damas, the Christian Church developed in Syria before the evangelization of Greece. The border small town of Doura Europos gives well an account of this diversity with its temples, the religious inscriptions of the Roman garrison and famous paintings of its synagog and its church.

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