https://sputniknews.com/20220923/ancient-palmyra-could-have-fallen-because-of-hunger-new-study-shows-1101113634.html
Ancient Palmyra Could Have Fallen Because of Hunger, New Study Shows
Ancient Palmyra Could Have Fallen Because of Hunger, New Study Shows
In 273, emperor Aurelian destroyed the city of Palmyra, quashing the short-lived Palmyrene Empire which defied Rome. Its majestic ruins were only rediscovered… 23.09.2022, Sputnik International
2022-09-23T05:45+0000
2022-09-23T05:45+0000
2022-09-23T05:45+0000
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A team of Scandinavian researchers from Norway and Denmark have challenged the established narrative about the fall of the ancient city of Palmyra, located in present-day Syria, adding more nuance to the overall picture.Until recently, Roman conquest has been seen as the sole reason for the destruction of the historic city nearly 2,000 years ago, as the short-lived Palmyrene Empire was quenched. While the Palmyrene rebellion was one of the most serious in the long history of the Roman Empire, it also happened at a time when the climate in the Middle East became noticeably drier. This led the researchers to believe that the lack of food was one of the underlying reasons behind the losing war.One of the key questions of their study, was therefore how much food could have been grown for a big landlocked city in the middle of the desert. Even using advanced techniques such as collecting rainwater with the help of dams and reservoirs, Palmyreans could grow food for no more than roughly 40,000 people in the area surrounding the city over the course of a year, researchers found, using computer models and factoring in known precipitation data.According to Doctor Iza Romanowska of the Aarhus University in Denmark, food safety has always been the first priority for such a big city in a very inhospitable environment.Rubina Raja, a professor of classical archeology at Aarhus University, argued that this method not only highlights thehistory of Palmyra from a new angle, but also allows to assess the key role of food security in historical development. According to Seland of Bergen University, the same method can be extrapolated to other historic cities, other areas and other times.In 3rd century AD, Palmyra, at that time a thriving metropolis in the Syrian desert and the capital of a short-lived breakaway state from the Roman empire, was ruled by Queen Zenobia. In the year 270 a new emperor arrived to the throne in Rome. Zenobia challenged the Romans, who at time time struggled with inner strife and civil war, seeking to establish her own son as emperor, but ended up losing. In 273, emperor Aurelian destroyed the city, which was sacked and reduced to an insignificant town. Its majestic ruins were rediscovered by Western travelers only at the end of the 17th century — only to be partially destroyed by Daesh terrorists in 2015 during the war in Syria.
https://sputniknews.com/20220714/russian-syrian-specialists-finish-first-phase-of-restoration-of-palmyras-1700-yo-arch-of-triumph-1097319039.html
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science, news, scandinavia, syria, ancient rome, archeology
A team of Scandinavian researchers from Norway and Denmark have challenged the established narrative about the fall of the ancient city of Palmyra, located in present-day Syria, adding more nuance to the overall picture.
Until recently, Roman conquest has been seen as the sole reason for the destruction of the historic city nearly 2,000 years ago, as the short-lived Palmyrene Empire was quenched. While the Palmyrene rebellion was one of the most serious in the long history of the Roman Empire, it also happened at a time when the climate in the Middle East became noticeably drier. This led the researchers to believe that the lack of food was one of the underlying reasons behind the losing war.
One of the key questions of their study, was therefore how much food could have been grown for a big landlocked city in the middle of the desert. Even using advanced techniques such as collecting rainwater with the help of dams and reservoirs, Palmyreans could grow food for no more than roughly 40,000 people in the area surrounding the city over the course of a year, researchers found, using computer models and factoring in known precipitation data.
“Our calculations show that the Palmyreans’ opportunities to feed their own population deteriorated during this period. We therefore believe that [Queen] Zenobia and the inhabitants of Palmyra were in a forced situation. The choice was between war against the Romans or a situation where parts of the city’s population risked starvation”, Eivind Heldaas Seland, a professor at the University of Bergen, told national broadcaster NRK.
According to Doctor Iza Romanowska of the Aarhus University in Denmark, food safety has always been the first priority for such a big city in a very inhospitable environment.
“We can now see how the situation became progressively more difficult as the climate deteriorated and the population grew”, Romanowska told NRK.
Rubina Raja, a professor of classical archeology at Aarhus University, argued that this method not only highlights thehistory of Palmyra from a new angle, but also allows to assess the key role of food security in historical development. According to Seland of Bergen University, the same method can be extrapolated to other historic cities, other areas and other times.
In 3rd century AD, Palmyra, at that time a thriving metropolis in the Syrian desert and the capital of a short-lived breakaway state from the Roman empire, was ruled by Queen Zenobia. In the year 270 a new emperor arrived to the throne in Rome. Zenobia challenged the Romans, who at time time struggled with inner strife and civil war, seeking to establish her own son as emperor, but ended up losing. In 273, emperor Aurelian destroyed the city, which was sacked and reduced to an insignificant town. Its majestic ruins were rediscovered by Western travelers only at the end of the 17th century — only to be partially destroyed by Daesh terrorists in 2015 during the war in Syria.
