Declassified spy images point to 396 undiscovered forts in Syria and Iraq, shifting understanding of Roman frontier
Aerial photographs taken in the 1960s and 70s have dramatic implications for our understanding, experts said.Aerial photographs taken in the 1960s and 70s have dramatic implications for our understanding, experts said.Declassified cold-war spy satellite images have thrown new light on the workings of the Roman empire by revealing hundreds of previously undiscovered forts, with dramatic implications for our understanding, experts have said.
Until now, historians assumed these forts were part of a defensive line built to protect the eastern province of the empire from Arab and Persian incursions, and from nomadic marauding tribes intent on captive-taking and slave-raiding. Researchers now hypothesise that the forts were constructed to support cross-border trade, protecting caravans travelling between the eastern provinces and the non-Roman territories, as well as facilitating communications between east and west.
The images studied formed part of the world’s first spy-satellite programme conducted at the time of geopolitical tension between the US and Soviet Union and their allies, the western bloc and the eastern bloc.
Australia Latest News, Australia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Millions of Aussies facing snow, storms, winds from late-season cold snapAn oncoming cold front is bringing everything from snow to fire to multiple Australian states this week.
Read more »
‘Winter-like’ hail and storms to hit many statesA brief cold snap is set to hit Australia’s eastern seaboard, bringing rain, thunderstorms and chilly weather for Victoria, NSW, Tasmania and southern Queensland.
Read more »
Australia’s eastern states set to suffer through wintry weatherAustralia’s eastern seaboard is due for a short-lived cold snap due to a sudden burst of polar air from the Antarctic.
Read more »
Fines to quintuple for badly behaved accountantsChartered Accountants ANZ members voted to increase the maximum fine for firms from $50,000 to $250,000 to rebuild the sector’s image.
Read more »
Mangrove photography awards 2023 – in picturesThis year, Soham Bhattacharyya was named mangrove photographer of the year for an image capturing the curious gaze of an endangered tigress in the Sundarbans
Read more »
Boss stood down after teen deathWarning for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers: this article contains the name and image of a First Nations person who had died, and are used with permission of their family.
Read more »