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Papers by Eberhard Sauer

Research paper thumbnail of Alchester: Life in a Fortress of the AD 40’s

Van Enckevort, H., Driessen, M., Graafstal, E., Hazenberg, T., Ivleva, T. and Van Driel-Murray, C. (eds), Living and dying on the Roman Frontier and beyond. LIMES 25, Leiden: Sidestone Press, volume 3: 257-266., 2024

Alchester was a fortress near Oxford that evolved into the largest town in the area of Oxfordshir... more Alchester was a fortress near Oxford that evolved into the largest town in the area of Oxfordshire. It has yielded the earliest dated timbers from Roman Britain (of AD 44), a wealth of military equipment and a tombstone of a veteran of Legio II Augusta, commanded at the time by Vespasian. The article argues that it was a legionary fortress.

Research paper thumbnail of Animal Exploitation and Subsistence on the Borders of the Sasanian Empire: From the Gorgan Wall (Iran) to the Gates of the Alans (Georgia)

Sasanian Persia, 2017

This chapter is based on recent investigations into the subsistence economy at a military fort in... more This chapter is based on recent investigations into the subsistence economy at a military fort in the northern Caucasus (in modern Georgia), in comparison with sites along the Gorgan Wall in the north-east of Iran. The latter include forts and settlements in the hinterland. These studies highlight the diversity of animal consumption during the Sasanian era, influenced by the environmental setting of the sites, general agro-pastoral practices in the study regions and different cultural traditions. In all cases, however, herded animals (sheep/goats and cattle) provided most of the animal protein, complemented by the exploitation of other resources such as poultry, fish and wild birds. The huge quantity of animal remains from Dariali Fort in Georgia and the other Sasanian-era sites presented here shed new light on animal exploitation at the frontiers of one of antiquity’s largest empires and provide a solid foundation for future archaeozoological studies in this part of the ancient world.

Research paper thumbnail of ‘Qal‘eh Kharabeh in northern Iran: a Sasanian military tent city for ten thousand mounted soldiers?’

Booth, P. and Whitby, M. (eds), Mélanges James Howard-Johnston. Travaux et Mémoires 26: 423-444, 788., 2022

Until recently, the odd passage in ancient and medieval literature was the only evidence for Sasa... more Until recently, the odd passage in ancient and medieval literature was the only evidence for Sasanian temporary camps and semi-permanent campaign bases. Since 2007 more and more campaign bases have been identified. This article presents the only such monument with preserved traces of a tent city inside. Its remarkably regular layout was probably mirrored not only at other campaign bases, but also in the once arguably much more numerous camps. Moat-enclosed substantial towered walls and causeways, often also citadels and sometimes smaller mud-brick structures inside, have ensured that many campaign bases have survived as prominent landmarks, whereas short-lived camps with light temporary defences remain elusive. Qalʿeh Kharabeh and other Sasanian military compounds provide unique insights into the Persian defensive infrastructure, erected in the fifth and sixth centuries on an unprecedented scale. These purpose-built bases for mobile forces are the physical manifestation of a military strategy that aimed at minimising losses by keeping field armies in contested territories and in borderlands secure. The regular arrangement of tents exemplifies efficient use of space by well-organised troops. The Sasanian field army boasted some of the largest fortresses of the late antique world. Our new evidence for their dense occupation and sophisticated design demonstrates that it was a formidable force, in numbers and capabilities.

Research paper thumbnail of Sauer, E.W., Nokandeh, J., Omrani Rekavandi, H., Nemati, M.-R. and Mousavinia, M., 2023. ‘The ancient world’s largest fortresses: Persia’s northern defences in Late Antiquity’, Current World Archaeology 119: 26-33.

Sauer, E.W., Nokandeh, J., Omrani Rekavandi, H., Nemati, M.-R. and Mousavinia, M., 2023. ‘The ancient world’s largest fortresses: Persia’s northern defences in Late Antiquity’, Current World Archaeology 119: 26-33.

In the 4th to 6th centuries AD, Persia was underattack from the north by the 'White Huns' and oth... more In the 4th to 6th centuries AD, Persia was underattack from the north by the 'White Huns' and other powerful groups of steppe warriors. Persia's response was to create a massive fortification belt-unsurpassed in scale anywherein the ancient and medieval world, with only the possible exception of China. Eberhard Sauer,

Research paper thumbnail of Chologauri L., Gabunia A., Mowat F. A., Priestman S.M.N., Simpson St J., & Stetkiewicz  S., 2020: The Small Objects and Other Finds

E.W. Sauer, et al. 2020: Dariali: The ‘Caspian Gates’ in the Caucasus from Antiquity to the Age of the Huns and the Middle Ages. The joint Georgian-British Dariali Gorge excavations and surveys 2013-2016, Vol. 2. British Institute of Persian Studies Monograph Series VI, Oxbow: Oxford,, 2020

Research paper thumbnail of Eberhard Sauer Publication List

Research paper thumbnail of Eberhard Sauer Publication List 2022

Research paper thumbnail of Ancient Arms Race: Antiquity’s Largest Fortresses and Sasanian Military Networks of Northern Iran. A joint fieldwork project by the Iranian Center for Archaeological Research, the Research Institute of Cultural Heritage and Tourism and the University of Edinburgh (2014–2016).

Ancient Arms Race, Volume 2 (Table of Contents), 2022

Which ancient army boasted the largest fortifi cations, and how did the competitive build-up of m... more Which ancient army boasted the largest fortifi cations, and how did the competitive build-up of military capabilities shape world history? Few realise that imperial Rome had a serious competitor in Late Antiquity. Late Roman legionary bases, normally no larger than 5 ha, were dwarfed by Sasanian fortresses, often covering 40 ha, sometimes even 125-210 ha. The latter did not necessarily house permanent garrisons but sheltered large armies temporarily-perhaps numbering 10,000-50,000 men each. Even Roman camps and fortresses of the early and high empire did not reach the dimensions of their later Persian counterparts. The longest fort-lined wall of the late antique world was also Persian. Persia built up, between the fourth and sixth centuries AD, the most massive military infrastructure of any ancient or medieval Near Eastern empire-if not the ancient and medieval world. Much of the known defensive network was directed against Persia's powerful neighbours in the north-rather than the west. This may refl ect diff erences in archaeological visibility more than troop numbers. Urban garrisons in the Romano-Persian frontier zone are much harder to identify than vast geometric compounds in marginal northern lands. Recent excavations in Iran have enabled us to precision-date two of the largest fortresses of Southwest Asia, both larger than any in the Roman world. Excavations in a Gorgan Wall fort have shed much new light on frontier life, and we have unearthed a massive bridge nearby. A sonar survey has traced the probable terminal of the Tammisheh Wall, now submerged under the waters of the Caspian Sea. Further work has focused on a vast city and settlements in the hinterland. Persia's Imperial Power, our previous project, had already shed much light on the Great Wall of Gorgan, but it was our recent fi eldwork that has thrown the sheer magnitude of Sasanian military infrastructure into sharp relief.

Research paper thumbnail of Ancient Arms Race: Antiquity’s Largest Fortresses and Sasanian Military Networks of Northern Iran. A joint fieldwork project by the Iranian Center for Archaeological Research, the Research Institute of Cultural Heritage and Tourism and the University of Edinburgh (2014–2016).

Ancient Arms Race Volume 1 (Table of Contents), 2022

Which ancient army boasted the largest fortifi cations, and how did the competitive build-up of m... more Which ancient army boasted the largest fortifi cations, and how did the competitive build-up of military capabilities shape world history? Few realise that imperial Rome had a serious competitor in Late Antiquity. Late Roman legionary bases, normally no larger than 5 ha, were dwarfed by Sasanian fortresses, often covering 40 ha, sometimes even 125-210 ha. The latter did not necessarily house permanent garrisons but sheltered large armies temporarily-perhaps numbering 10,000-50,000 men each. Even Roman camps and fortresses of the early and high empire did not reach the dimensions of their later Persian counterparts. The longest fort-lined wall of the late antique world was also Persian. Persia built up, between the fourth and sixth centuries AD, the most massive military infrastructure of any ancient or medieval Near Eastern empire-if not the ancient and medieval world. Much of the known defensive network was directed against Persia's powerful neighbours in the north-rather than the west. This may refl ect diff erences in archaeological visibility more than troop numbers. Urban garrisons in the Romano-Persian frontier zone are much harder to identify than vast geometric compounds in marginal northern lands. Recent excavations in Iran have enabled us to precision-date two of the largest fortresses of Southwest Asia, both larger than any in the Roman world. Excavations in a Gorgan Wall fort have shed much new light on frontier life, and we have unearthed a massive bridge nearby. A sonar survey has traced the probable terminal of the Tammisheh Wall, now submerged under the waters of the Caspian Sea. Further work has focused on a vast city and settlements in the hinterland. Persia's Imperial Power, our previous project, had already shed much light on the Great Wall of Gorgan, but it was our recent fi eldwork that has thrown the sheer magnitude of Sasanian military infrastructure into sharp relief.

Research paper thumbnail of Sasanian hinterland fortresses, linear barriers and frontier landscapes: The 2007 season at the Great Wall of Gorgan and the Wall of Tammishe

Research paper thumbnail of Northern outpost of the Caliphate: maintaining military forces in a hostile environment (the Dariali Gorge in the Central Caucasus in Georgia)

The strategic significance of the Dariali Gorge, the main pass across the central Caucasus, has l... more The strategic significance of the Dariali Gorge, the main pass across the central Caucasus, has long been recognised. It forms a border today as it has done for much of the past 2000 years. But how was an effective military force sustained in an isolated Alpine environment? Excavations, osteoarchaeology and landscape survey have revealed that the Early Middle Ages saw as much investment in controlling this key route as there was in Antiquity. Guarded by the same Muslim-led garrison for at least a quarter of a millennium, its survival in a harsh environment was made possible through military effort and long-distance food supplies.

Research paper thumbnail of Sacred springs and a pervasive Roman ritual

Bulletin of the Association For Roman Archaeology, 2013

Research paper thumbnail of Milestones - misunderstood stone monuments: displays of loyalty in times of instability

Research paper thumbnail of Mithras in Scotland: A Mithraeum at Inveresk (East Lothian)

Britannia, 2016

Excavations to the east of the Roman fort of Inveresk in 2010 partly uncovered remains of a Mithr... more Excavations to the east of the Roman fort of Inveresk in 2010 partly uncovered remains of a Mithraeum — the first from Scotland and the earliest securely dated example from Britain. A large rectangular sunken feature with lateral benches contained two altars buried face down at its north-western end. One was dedicated to Mithras, with iconography of both Mithras and Apollo as well as libation vessels. The other was dedicated to Sol, with a frieze above showing the Four Seasons. The Sol altar had a recess in the rear for a light which would have shone through his pierced rays, eyes, mouth and nose. Remains of an iron rod behind the nose hint at a more complex arrangement to create special visual or acoustic effects. Paint and plaster traces were recorded on both altars. The dedicator, G(aius) Cas(sius) Fla(…), a centurion, may have been in command of the garrison or of a legionary detachment. Stylistic links, especially in letter form, connect the work to sculptors of Legio XX. The s...

Research paper thumbnail of Ancient Arms Race: Antiquity’s Largest Fortresses and Sasanian Military Networks of Northern Iran. A joint fieldwork project by the Iranian Center for Archaeological Research

Sauer, E.W., Nokandeh, J. and Omrani Rekavandi, H., with contributions by Bates, C.R., Batt, C.M.... more Sauer, E.W., Nokandeh, J. and Omrani Rekavandi, H., with contributions by Bates, C.R., Batt, C.M., Cereti, C.G., Daghmehchi, M., Hopper, K., Labbaf-Khaniki, M., Leroy, S.A.G., Mashkour, M., Mousavinia, M., Nemati, M., Shabani, B., Shumilovskikh, L., Astolfi, M., Emami, M., Ershadi, M.A., Khazaeli, R., MacDonald, E., Mowat, F.A., Naskidashvili, D., Penn, T., Priestman, S.M.N., Safari Tamak, E., Simpson, St J., Snyder, R., Tofighian, H., Abbasi, G.A., Amiri, S., Arteghi, B., Bagher Bayati, M., Bailiff, I., Bates, M.R., Bayat Nejad, F., Bittmann, F., Borhani, M.M., Caputo, F., Chologauri, L., Fathi, H., Gabunia, A., Gagoshidze, D., Greenwood, D.P., Heise, M., Hossein-Zadeh, M., Intagliata, E.E. Jahed, M., Jansen Van Rensburg, J., Jürcke, F., Koberidze, K., Lawrence, D., Mahmoudi, M., Mansouri Razi, M., Mohammadkhani, K., Moslehi, M., Nankali, A., Nunes Caldeira, C., Perini, S., Philip, G., Polakiewicz, P., Puschnigg, G., Rahmani, M.A., Ricci, A., Salari, A., Snape, L., Talon, B., Welton, L., Ainslie, R., Ajamhosseini, M., Amirinezhad, A., Asghari, Z., Beyzaei Doust, S., Chalié, F., Davoudi, H., Debue, K., Demory, F., Hassani, M., Hosseindusht, M., Kainaat, T., Karimi Shahraki, B., Khajavi, F., Laleh, H., Madanipour, M., Malekan, M., Mirmousavi, M., Mirmousavi, M., Mittertrainer, A., Mohammadkhani, S., Mohaseb, A., Nazifi, N., Omrani, H., Paetzold, D., Pickard, C., Pourbakht, M., Radu, V., Rahimi, M.R., Ramzani Fard, M., Reka, A.A., Ruchonnet, A., Shafazade, S., Taghi Maleka, M., Tahmasebifar, H. and Taji, D., forthcoming 2021/2022. Ancient Arms Race: Antiquity’s Largest Fortresses and Sasanian Military Networks of Northern Iran. A joint fieldwork project by the Iranian Center for Archaeological Research, the Research Institute of Cultural Heritage and Tourism and the University of Edinburgh (2014–2016). British Institute of Persian Studies Archaeological Monographs Series VII, Oxford: Oxbow: https://www.oxbowbooks.com/oxbow/ancient-arms-race-antiquity-s-largest-fortresses-and-sasanian-military-networks-of-northern-iran.html.

Research paper thumbnail of Sauer 2005 Coins Cult and Cultural Identity low res part 3

Sauer, E.W., 2005. Coins, cult and cultural identity: Augustan coins, hot springs and the early R... more Sauer, E.W., 2005. Coins, cult and cultural identity: Augustan coins, hot springs and the early Roman baths at Bourbonne-les-Bains. Leicester: Leicester Archaeology Monographs 10 (University of Leicester), pp. xviii + 325 + 11 plates, part 3.

Research paper thumbnail of Sauer 2005 Coins Cult and Cultural Identity 1

4. Sauer, E.W., 2005. Coins, cult and cultural identity: Augustan coins, hot springs and the earl... more 4. Sauer, E.W., 2005. Coins, cult and cultural identity: Augustan coins, hot springs and the early Roman baths at Bourbonne-les-Bains. Leicester: Leicester Archaeology Monographs 10 (University of Leicester), pp. xviii + 325 + 11 plates, part 1.

Research paper thumbnail of Coins, cult and cultural identity, part 2

Sauer, E.W., 2005. Coins, cult and cultural identity: Augustan coins, hot springs and the early R... more Sauer, E.W., 2005. Coins, cult and cultural identity: Augustan coins, hot springs and the early Roman baths at Bourbonne-les-Bains. Leicester: Leicester Archaeology Monographs 10 (University of Leicester), pp. xviii + 325 + 11 plates, part 2.

Research paper thumbnail of Archaeology and Ancient History : Breaking down the Boundaries

Sauer, E.W. (ed.), 2004, with contributions by Dialismas, A., Foxhall, L., Henig, M., Hoffmann, B... more Sauer, E.W. (ed.), 2004, with contributions by Dialismas, A., Foxhall, L., Henig, M., Hoffmann, B., Karl, R., Laurence, R., Morgan, J., Murphy, E., Rankov, B. and Sauer, E.W., Archaeology and Ancient History: breaking down the boundaries. London and New York: Routledge, pp. xi + 206.

Research paper thumbnail of Persia's Imperial Power in Late Antiquity

6. Sauer, E.W., Omrani Rekavandi, H., Wilkinson, T.J., Nokandeh, J., Hopper, K., Abbasi, G.A., Ai... more 6. Sauer, E.W., Omrani Rekavandi, H., Wilkinson, T.J., Nokandeh, J., Hopper, K., Abbasi, G.A., Ainslie, R., Roustaei, K., MacDonald, E., Safari Tamak, E., Ratcliffe, J., Mahmoudi, M., Oatley, C., Ershadi, M., Usher-Wilson, L.S., Nazifi, A., Griffiths, S., Shabani, B., Parker, D., Mousavi, M., Galiatsatos, N. and Tolouei, H., with contributions by Priestman, S., Mashkour, M., Batt, C.M., Greenwood, D.P., Jansen Van Rensburg, J., Caputo, F., Radu, V., Schwenninger, J.-L., Fattahi, M., Gale, R., Poole, I., Hoffmann, B., Evershed, R. and Thomas, R. 2013. Persia’s Imperial Power in Late Antiquity: the Great Wall of Gorgān and Frontier Landscapes of Sasanian Iran. A joint fieldwork project by the Iranian Cultural Heritage, Handcraft and Tourism Organization, the Iranian Center for Archaeological Research and the Universities of Edinburgh and Durham (2005–2009). British Institute of Persian Studies Archaeological Monographs Series II, Oxford: Oxbow Books, pp. xvi + 712.

Research paper thumbnail of Alchester: Life in a Fortress of the AD 40’s

Van Enckevort, H., Driessen, M., Graafstal, E., Hazenberg, T., Ivleva, T. and Van Driel-Murray, C. (eds), Living and dying on the Roman Frontier and beyond. LIMES 25, Leiden: Sidestone Press, volume 3: 257-266., 2024

Alchester was a fortress near Oxford that evolved into the largest town in the area of Oxfordshir... more Alchester was a fortress near Oxford that evolved into the largest town in the area of Oxfordshire. It has yielded the earliest dated timbers from Roman Britain (of AD 44), a wealth of military equipment and a tombstone of a veteran of Legio II Augusta, commanded at the time by Vespasian. The article argues that it was a legionary fortress.

Research paper thumbnail of Animal Exploitation and Subsistence on the Borders of the Sasanian Empire: From the Gorgan Wall (Iran) to the Gates of the Alans (Georgia)

Sasanian Persia, 2017

This chapter is based on recent investigations into the subsistence economy at a military fort in... more This chapter is based on recent investigations into the subsistence economy at a military fort in the northern Caucasus (in modern Georgia), in comparison with sites along the Gorgan Wall in the north-east of Iran. The latter include forts and settlements in the hinterland. These studies highlight the diversity of animal consumption during the Sasanian era, influenced by the environmental setting of the sites, general agro-pastoral practices in the study regions and different cultural traditions. In all cases, however, herded animals (sheep/goats and cattle) provided most of the animal protein, complemented by the exploitation of other resources such as poultry, fish and wild birds. The huge quantity of animal remains from Dariali Fort in Georgia and the other Sasanian-era sites presented here shed new light on animal exploitation at the frontiers of one of antiquity’s largest empires and provide a solid foundation for future archaeozoological studies in this part of the ancient world.

Research paper thumbnail of ‘Qal‘eh Kharabeh in northern Iran: a Sasanian military tent city for ten thousand mounted soldiers?’

Booth, P. and Whitby, M. (eds), Mélanges James Howard-Johnston. Travaux et Mémoires 26: 423-444, 788., 2022

Until recently, the odd passage in ancient and medieval literature was the only evidence for Sasa... more Until recently, the odd passage in ancient and medieval literature was the only evidence for Sasanian temporary camps and semi-permanent campaign bases. Since 2007 more and more campaign bases have been identified. This article presents the only such monument with preserved traces of a tent city inside. Its remarkably regular layout was probably mirrored not only at other campaign bases, but also in the once arguably much more numerous camps. Moat-enclosed substantial towered walls and causeways, often also citadels and sometimes smaller mud-brick structures inside, have ensured that many campaign bases have survived as prominent landmarks, whereas short-lived camps with light temporary defences remain elusive. Qalʿeh Kharabeh and other Sasanian military compounds provide unique insights into the Persian defensive infrastructure, erected in the fifth and sixth centuries on an unprecedented scale. These purpose-built bases for mobile forces are the physical manifestation of a military strategy that aimed at minimising losses by keeping field armies in contested territories and in borderlands secure. The regular arrangement of tents exemplifies efficient use of space by well-organised troops. The Sasanian field army boasted some of the largest fortresses of the late antique world. Our new evidence for their dense occupation and sophisticated design demonstrates that it was a formidable force, in numbers and capabilities.

Research paper thumbnail of Sauer, E.W., Nokandeh, J., Omrani Rekavandi, H., Nemati, M.-R. and Mousavinia, M., 2023. ‘The ancient world’s largest fortresses: Persia’s northern defences in Late Antiquity’, Current World Archaeology 119: 26-33.

Sauer, E.W., Nokandeh, J., Omrani Rekavandi, H., Nemati, M.-R. and Mousavinia, M., 2023. ‘The ancient world’s largest fortresses: Persia’s northern defences in Late Antiquity’, Current World Archaeology 119: 26-33.

In the 4th to 6th centuries AD, Persia was underattack from the north by the 'White Huns' and oth... more In the 4th to 6th centuries AD, Persia was underattack from the north by the 'White Huns' and other powerful groups of steppe warriors. Persia's response was to create a massive fortification belt-unsurpassed in scale anywherein the ancient and medieval world, with only the possible exception of China. Eberhard Sauer,

Research paper thumbnail of Chologauri L., Gabunia A., Mowat F. A., Priestman S.M.N., Simpson St J., & Stetkiewicz  S., 2020: The Small Objects and Other Finds

E.W. Sauer, et al. 2020: Dariali: The ‘Caspian Gates’ in the Caucasus from Antiquity to the Age of the Huns and the Middle Ages. The joint Georgian-British Dariali Gorge excavations and surveys 2013-2016, Vol. 2. British Institute of Persian Studies Monograph Series VI, Oxbow: Oxford,, 2020

Research paper thumbnail of Eberhard Sauer Publication List

Research paper thumbnail of Eberhard Sauer Publication List 2022

Research paper thumbnail of Ancient Arms Race: Antiquity’s Largest Fortresses and Sasanian Military Networks of Northern Iran. A joint fieldwork project by the Iranian Center for Archaeological Research, the Research Institute of Cultural Heritage and Tourism and the University of Edinburgh (2014–2016).

Ancient Arms Race, Volume 2 (Table of Contents), 2022

Which ancient army boasted the largest fortifi cations, and how did the competitive build-up of m... more Which ancient army boasted the largest fortifi cations, and how did the competitive build-up of military capabilities shape world history? Few realise that imperial Rome had a serious competitor in Late Antiquity. Late Roman legionary bases, normally no larger than 5 ha, were dwarfed by Sasanian fortresses, often covering 40 ha, sometimes even 125-210 ha. The latter did not necessarily house permanent garrisons but sheltered large armies temporarily-perhaps numbering 10,000-50,000 men each. Even Roman camps and fortresses of the early and high empire did not reach the dimensions of their later Persian counterparts. The longest fort-lined wall of the late antique world was also Persian. Persia built up, between the fourth and sixth centuries AD, the most massive military infrastructure of any ancient or medieval Near Eastern empire-if not the ancient and medieval world. Much of the known defensive network was directed against Persia's powerful neighbours in the north-rather than the west. This may refl ect diff erences in archaeological visibility more than troop numbers. Urban garrisons in the Romano-Persian frontier zone are much harder to identify than vast geometric compounds in marginal northern lands. Recent excavations in Iran have enabled us to precision-date two of the largest fortresses of Southwest Asia, both larger than any in the Roman world. Excavations in a Gorgan Wall fort have shed much new light on frontier life, and we have unearthed a massive bridge nearby. A sonar survey has traced the probable terminal of the Tammisheh Wall, now submerged under the waters of the Caspian Sea. Further work has focused on a vast city and settlements in the hinterland. Persia's Imperial Power, our previous project, had already shed much light on the Great Wall of Gorgan, but it was our recent fi eldwork that has thrown the sheer magnitude of Sasanian military infrastructure into sharp relief.

Research paper thumbnail of Ancient Arms Race: Antiquity’s Largest Fortresses and Sasanian Military Networks of Northern Iran. A joint fieldwork project by the Iranian Center for Archaeological Research, the Research Institute of Cultural Heritage and Tourism and the University of Edinburgh (2014–2016).

Ancient Arms Race Volume 1 (Table of Contents), 2022

Which ancient army boasted the largest fortifi cations, and how did the competitive build-up of m... more Which ancient army boasted the largest fortifi cations, and how did the competitive build-up of military capabilities shape world history? Few realise that imperial Rome had a serious competitor in Late Antiquity. Late Roman legionary bases, normally no larger than 5 ha, were dwarfed by Sasanian fortresses, often covering 40 ha, sometimes even 125-210 ha. The latter did not necessarily house permanent garrisons but sheltered large armies temporarily-perhaps numbering 10,000-50,000 men each. Even Roman camps and fortresses of the early and high empire did not reach the dimensions of their later Persian counterparts. The longest fort-lined wall of the late antique world was also Persian. Persia built up, between the fourth and sixth centuries AD, the most massive military infrastructure of any ancient or medieval Near Eastern empire-if not the ancient and medieval world. Much of the known defensive network was directed against Persia's powerful neighbours in the north-rather than the west. This may refl ect diff erences in archaeological visibility more than troop numbers. Urban garrisons in the Romano-Persian frontier zone are much harder to identify than vast geometric compounds in marginal northern lands. Recent excavations in Iran have enabled us to precision-date two of the largest fortresses of Southwest Asia, both larger than any in the Roman world. Excavations in a Gorgan Wall fort have shed much new light on frontier life, and we have unearthed a massive bridge nearby. A sonar survey has traced the probable terminal of the Tammisheh Wall, now submerged under the waters of the Caspian Sea. Further work has focused on a vast city and settlements in the hinterland. Persia's Imperial Power, our previous project, had already shed much light on the Great Wall of Gorgan, but it was our recent fi eldwork that has thrown the sheer magnitude of Sasanian military infrastructure into sharp relief.

Research paper thumbnail of Sasanian hinterland fortresses, linear barriers and frontier landscapes: The 2007 season at the Great Wall of Gorgan and the Wall of Tammishe

Research paper thumbnail of Northern outpost of the Caliphate: maintaining military forces in a hostile environment (the Dariali Gorge in the Central Caucasus in Georgia)

The strategic significance of the Dariali Gorge, the main pass across the central Caucasus, has l... more The strategic significance of the Dariali Gorge, the main pass across the central Caucasus, has long been recognised. It forms a border today as it has done for much of the past 2000 years. But how was an effective military force sustained in an isolated Alpine environment? Excavations, osteoarchaeology and landscape survey have revealed that the Early Middle Ages saw as much investment in controlling this key route as there was in Antiquity. Guarded by the same Muslim-led garrison for at least a quarter of a millennium, its survival in a harsh environment was made possible through military effort and long-distance food supplies.

Research paper thumbnail of Sacred springs and a pervasive Roman ritual

Bulletin of the Association For Roman Archaeology, 2013

Research paper thumbnail of Milestones - misunderstood stone monuments: displays of loyalty in times of instability

Research paper thumbnail of Mithras in Scotland: A Mithraeum at Inveresk (East Lothian)

Britannia, 2016

Excavations to the east of the Roman fort of Inveresk in 2010 partly uncovered remains of a Mithr... more Excavations to the east of the Roman fort of Inveresk in 2010 partly uncovered remains of a Mithraeum — the first from Scotland and the earliest securely dated example from Britain. A large rectangular sunken feature with lateral benches contained two altars buried face down at its north-western end. One was dedicated to Mithras, with iconography of both Mithras and Apollo as well as libation vessels. The other was dedicated to Sol, with a frieze above showing the Four Seasons. The Sol altar had a recess in the rear for a light which would have shone through his pierced rays, eyes, mouth and nose. Remains of an iron rod behind the nose hint at a more complex arrangement to create special visual or acoustic effects. Paint and plaster traces were recorded on both altars. The dedicator, G(aius) Cas(sius) Fla(…), a centurion, may have been in command of the garrison or of a legionary detachment. Stylistic links, especially in letter form, connect the work to sculptors of Legio XX. The s...

Research paper thumbnail of Ancient Arms Race: Antiquity’s Largest Fortresses and Sasanian Military Networks of Northern Iran. A joint fieldwork project by the Iranian Center for Archaeological Research

Sauer, E.W., Nokandeh, J. and Omrani Rekavandi, H., with contributions by Bates, C.R., Batt, C.M.... more Sauer, E.W., Nokandeh, J. and Omrani Rekavandi, H., with contributions by Bates, C.R., Batt, C.M., Cereti, C.G., Daghmehchi, M., Hopper, K., Labbaf-Khaniki, M., Leroy, S.A.G., Mashkour, M., Mousavinia, M., Nemati, M., Shabani, B., Shumilovskikh, L., Astolfi, M., Emami, M., Ershadi, M.A., Khazaeli, R., MacDonald, E., Mowat, F.A., Naskidashvili, D., Penn, T., Priestman, S.M.N., Safari Tamak, E., Simpson, St J., Snyder, R., Tofighian, H., Abbasi, G.A., Amiri, S., Arteghi, B., Bagher Bayati, M., Bailiff, I., Bates, M.R., Bayat Nejad, F., Bittmann, F., Borhani, M.M., Caputo, F., Chologauri, L., Fathi, H., Gabunia, A., Gagoshidze, D., Greenwood, D.P., Heise, M., Hossein-Zadeh, M., Intagliata, E.E. Jahed, M., Jansen Van Rensburg, J., Jürcke, F., Koberidze, K., Lawrence, D., Mahmoudi, M., Mansouri Razi, M., Mohammadkhani, K., Moslehi, M., Nankali, A., Nunes Caldeira, C., Perini, S., Philip, G., Polakiewicz, P., Puschnigg, G., Rahmani, M.A., Ricci, A., Salari, A., Snape, L., Talon, B., Welton, L., Ainslie, R., Ajamhosseini, M., Amirinezhad, A., Asghari, Z., Beyzaei Doust, S., Chalié, F., Davoudi, H., Debue, K., Demory, F., Hassani, M., Hosseindusht, M., Kainaat, T., Karimi Shahraki, B., Khajavi, F., Laleh, H., Madanipour, M., Malekan, M., Mirmousavi, M., Mirmousavi, M., Mittertrainer, A., Mohammadkhani, S., Mohaseb, A., Nazifi, N., Omrani, H., Paetzold, D., Pickard, C., Pourbakht, M., Radu, V., Rahimi, M.R., Ramzani Fard, M., Reka, A.A., Ruchonnet, A., Shafazade, S., Taghi Maleka, M., Tahmasebifar, H. and Taji, D., forthcoming 2021/2022. Ancient Arms Race: Antiquity’s Largest Fortresses and Sasanian Military Networks of Northern Iran. A joint fieldwork project by the Iranian Center for Archaeological Research, the Research Institute of Cultural Heritage and Tourism and the University of Edinburgh (2014–2016). British Institute of Persian Studies Archaeological Monographs Series VII, Oxford: Oxbow: https://www.oxbowbooks.com/oxbow/ancient-arms-race-antiquity-s-largest-fortresses-and-sasanian-military-networks-of-northern-iran.html.

Research paper thumbnail of Sauer 2005 Coins Cult and Cultural Identity low res part 3

Sauer, E.W., 2005. Coins, cult and cultural identity: Augustan coins, hot springs and the early R... more Sauer, E.W., 2005. Coins, cult and cultural identity: Augustan coins, hot springs and the early Roman baths at Bourbonne-les-Bains. Leicester: Leicester Archaeology Monographs 10 (University of Leicester), pp. xviii + 325 + 11 plates, part 3.

Research paper thumbnail of Sauer 2005 Coins Cult and Cultural Identity 1

4. Sauer, E.W., 2005. Coins, cult and cultural identity: Augustan coins, hot springs and the earl... more 4. Sauer, E.W., 2005. Coins, cult and cultural identity: Augustan coins, hot springs and the early Roman baths at Bourbonne-les-Bains. Leicester: Leicester Archaeology Monographs 10 (University of Leicester), pp. xviii + 325 + 11 plates, part 1.

Research paper thumbnail of Coins, cult and cultural identity, part 2

Sauer, E.W., 2005. Coins, cult and cultural identity: Augustan coins, hot springs and the early R... more Sauer, E.W., 2005. Coins, cult and cultural identity: Augustan coins, hot springs and the early Roman baths at Bourbonne-les-Bains. Leicester: Leicester Archaeology Monographs 10 (University of Leicester), pp. xviii + 325 + 11 plates, part 2.

Research paper thumbnail of Archaeology and Ancient History : Breaking down the Boundaries

Sauer, E.W. (ed.), 2004, with contributions by Dialismas, A., Foxhall, L., Henig, M., Hoffmann, B... more Sauer, E.W. (ed.), 2004, with contributions by Dialismas, A., Foxhall, L., Henig, M., Hoffmann, B., Karl, R., Laurence, R., Morgan, J., Murphy, E., Rankov, B. and Sauer, E.W., Archaeology and Ancient History: breaking down the boundaries. London and New York: Routledge, pp. xi + 206.

Research paper thumbnail of Persia's Imperial Power in Late Antiquity

6. Sauer, E.W., Omrani Rekavandi, H., Wilkinson, T.J., Nokandeh, J., Hopper, K., Abbasi, G.A., Ai... more 6. Sauer, E.W., Omrani Rekavandi, H., Wilkinson, T.J., Nokandeh, J., Hopper, K., Abbasi, G.A., Ainslie, R., Roustaei, K., MacDonald, E., Safari Tamak, E., Ratcliffe, J., Mahmoudi, M., Oatley, C., Ershadi, M., Usher-Wilson, L.S., Nazifi, A., Griffiths, S., Shabani, B., Parker, D., Mousavi, M., Galiatsatos, N. and Tolouei, H., with contributions by Priestman, S., Mashkour, M., Batt, C.M., Greenwood, D.P., Jansen Van Rensburg, J., Caputo, F., Radu, V., Schwenninger, J.-L., Fattahi, M., Gale, R., Poole, I., Hoffmann, B., Evershed, R. and Thomas, R. 2013. Persia’s Imperial Power in Late Antiquity: the Great Wall of Gorgān and Frontier Landscapes of Sasanian Iran. A joint fieldwork project by the Iranian Cultural Heritage, Handcraft and Tourism Organization, the Iranian Center for Archaeological Research and the Universities of Edinburgh and Durham (2005–2009). British Institute of Persian Studies Archaeological Monographs Series II, Oxford: Oxbow Books, pp. xvi + 712.

Research paper thumbnail of Sauer, E.W., Chologauri, L., Gabunia, A., Hopper, K., Lawrence, D., MacDonald, E., et al. 2020: Dariali: The Caspian Gates in the Caucasus from Antiquity to the Age of the Huns and the Middle Ages: The joint Georgian-British Dariali Gorge excavations & surveys of 2013-2016.

Sauer, E.W., Chologauri, L., Gabunia, A., Hopper, K., Lawrence, D., MacDonald, E., et al. 2020: Dariali: The Caspian Gates in the Caucasus from Antiquity to the Age of the Huns and the Middle Ages: The joint Georgian-British Dariali Gorge excavations & surveys of 2013-2016.

Dariali: the 'Caspian Gates' in the The joint Georgian-British Dariali Gorge excavations & surveys 2013-2016. British Institute of Persian Studies Monograph Series, VI.1-2, Oxbow, Oxford., 2 volumes: [ISBN: 978-1-78925-192-0]., , 2020

Hardcover Edition: A CIP record for this book is available from the British Library Library of Co... more Hardcover Edition: A CIP record for this book is available from the British Library Library of Congress Control Number: 2019954229 All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission from the publisher in writing.