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In a recent declassification of old spy satellite imagery, hundreds of Roman forts have been rediscovered in regions of Iraq, Syria, and the eastern Mediterranean. The satellites, originally used for reconnaissance in the 1960s and 1970s, have now had their data declassified. These archived images are now proving invaluable for archaeological discoveries in areas that are challenging for researchers to visit.

Among the images, 396 Roman forts were identified from space, with the region’s aerial survey in 1934 recording 116 forts on the eastern frontier of the Roman Empire. Archaeologists have confirmed the conclusions drawn from the century-old study, which suggested that Rome was fortifying its frontier. The newly discovered forts provide a fresh perspective on this assumption.

Lead author Jesse Casana, a professor of anthropology specializing in the Middle East at New Hampshire’s Dartmouth College, notes that these newly found forts are similar in structure to Roman forts found elsewhere in Europe and North Africa. The abundance of forts found in this study could be due to their better preservation and ease of recognition, or it could indicate intensive fort construction during the second and third centuries AD.

The high-resolution and stereo perspective of the satellite images are crucial for this new research. These images offer a unique resource for archaeology, providing clear views of landscapes that have been significantly impacted by modern land-use changes. As stated by the study authors in their publication in Antiquity, these images have been instrumental in advancing archaeological research.

The declassified images were made available to archaeologists for analysis. Jesse Casana highlights that these satellite images can be accessed for free through the U.S. Geological Survey’s EarthExplorer data distribution portal. The processed images were meticulously corrected and georeferenced for spatial accuracy.

The declassification of this satellite imagery has unveiled a wealth of information for archaeologists studying the Roman Empire. The clear and precise images offer insights into Roman fortifications and the ancient landscape that would have been difficult to access otherwise. This discovery opens new possibilities for further exploration and understanding of the Roman Empire’s presence in these regions.

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