‎Martin Lemke‎
‎Military Geography of Moesia Inferior. Terrain, Logistics, Strategy‎

‎, Brepols, 2026 Hardback, Pages: 267, Size:216 x 280 mm, Illustrations:90 b/w, 56 col., 1 tables b/w., Language: English. ISBN 9782503620909.‎

Reference : 70530

‎Summary This volume explores the military geography of the Roman province of Moesia Inferior during the first three centuries CE, shedding light on the strategic interplay between geography, culture, and military organization along the 'Limes', the Empire's frontier along the Lower Danube. Drawing on archaeological, historical, and environmental data, it examines how the activities of the Roman army, including settlement patterns, defensive architecture, and logistical networks, were influenced by terrain, resources, and pre-existing cultural dynamics. The analysis also sheds light on the logistical capabilities of the Roman army, the role played by the frontier garrisons, and the evolving strategy of Rome in capturing, securing, and developing the region. Central to the volume is a comprehensive site gazetteer that reveals how the clustering of settlements and fortifications was heavily dependent on the natural environment, and its impact on both economy and strategy with the region. By situating military geography within broader socio-political and environmental contexts, the book contributes to a deeper understanding of Roman frontier policy, provincial development, and the lived experience of imperial borderlands. TABLE OF CONTENTS List of Illustrations Foreword 1. Introduction Scope and Methods Research Status and Site Preservation Chronology Terminology Military Geography 2. History of the Region The Augustan Era Reign of Tiberius Reigns of Caligula and Claudius Reign of Nero Reign of Vespasian Reign of Domitian Reign of Trajan Province Frontiers From the Severans to the Third-Century Crisis 3. Geography of the Region General Characteristics The Danube Terraces and Plains 4. Logistics The term and its Scope in the Military Geography of Moesia Inferior Logistics in the Roman Army The Evidence of the Written Sources Army Logistics in Moesia Inferior Reconnaissance and Intelligence Army Personnel and Civilians Engaged in Logistics Strategy toward Indigenous Peoples Taxes Romanization? Urban Centers Pontic Cities Cities of the Provincial Interior The Smaller Settlements: canabae, vici, and villae Municipium and colonia Trade and Resources Infrastructure and Transportation Army Administration Towards Late Antiquity Recapitulation 5. Topography of the Lower Moesian Limes Microregions Section 1. Lom - Harlec Section 2. Orjahovo - Gigen Section 3. Guljanci - Nikopol Section 4. Belene - Krivina Section 5. Batin - Ruse Section 6. Marten - Tutrakan Section 7. Dunavec - Silistra Section 8. Dervent - Cernavod? Section 9. Seimeni - Turcoaia Section 10. M?cin - Isaccea Section 11. Tulcea - Dunav??u de Sus Summary 6. Strategy The Early Years: An Offensive Line? Beyond the Yantra Less Prominent Fortifications: Bridgeheads, Watchtowers and Linear Barriers Consolidation after the Dacian Wars of Trajan Towards Late Antiquity The Roman River Frontier in Practice Trouble with the Dacians Barbarian on the Frontier Historical Parallels Strategy in Moesia, Strategy of the Empire? 7. Epilogue Abbreviations Works Cited Index‎