Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Sunday, Jun 01, 2025

2000-Year-old Roman-Era Military Camps Discovered in Saudi Arabian Desert

2000-Year-old Roman-Era Military Camps Discovered in Saudi Arabian Desert

Oxford University researchers said these camps were set up as defended barracks when the Romans began their Arabia conquest.
Three Roman-era military camps, from almost 2,000 years ago, have been discovered in the Saudi Arabian desert, according to Sky News. The camps were discovered by Oxford University researchers, who traced the camps using Google Earth. A peer-reviewed study detailing the discovery has been published in the journal Antiquity. The researchers say the discovery suggests as evidence of a Roman campaign across Southeast Jordan into Saudi Arabia during the second century, as per the Sky News report. Researchers claim that these camps were constructed during the Roman takeover of the Jordanian Nabataean Kingdom in 106 AD.

"We are almost certain they were built by the Roman army, given the typical playing card shape of the enclosures with opposing entrances along each side," Dr Michael Fradley, part of the team that identified the camps, was quoted as saying by the outlet.

He added that these camps were set up as defended barracks when the Romans began their Arabia conquest.

Oxford's Mike Bishop, an expert on the Roman military, told The National: "These camps are a spectacular new find and an important new insight into Roman campaigning in Arabia."

"Roman forts and fortresses show how Rome held a province, but temporary camps reveal how they acquired it in the first place," the expert added.

Dr Fradley said the manner in which these camps have been preserved is "remarkable", considering these structures were temporary and used "for a matter of days or weeks".

The National said that these camps are situated at a distance of 37-44 kilometres from each other, which suggests it was too far to be crossed by infantry in a day.

The researchers say in the study that the camps were built by Roman cavalry, which would have been able to travel over barren terrain in a single day, possibly on camels.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
OPEC+ Agrees to Increase Oil Output for Third Consecutive Month
Turkey Detains Istanbul Officials Amid Anti-Corruption Crackdown
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
EU Central Bank Pushes to Replace US Dollar with Euro as World’s Main Currency
European and Arab Ministers Convene in Madrid to Address Gaza Conflict
U.S. Health Secretary Ends Select COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
Trump Warns Putin Is 'Playing with Fire' Amid Escalating Ukraine Conflict
India and Pakistan Engage Trump-Linked Lobbyists to Influence U.S. Policy
U.S. Halts New Student Visa Interviews Amid Enhanced Security Measures
Trump Administration Cancels $100 Million in Federal Contracts with Harvard
SpaceX Starship Test Flight Ends in Failure, Mars Mission Timeline Uncertain
King Charles Affirms Canadian Sovereignty Amid U.S. Statehood Pressure
Iranian Revolutionary Guard Founder Warns Against Trusting Regime in Nuclear Talks
UAE Offers Free ChatGPT Plus Subscriptions to Citizens
Lebanon Initiates Plan to Disarm Palestinian Factions
Iran and U.S. Make Limited Progress in Nuclear Talks
The Daily Debate: The Fall of the Dollar — Strategic Reset or Economic Self-Destruction?
Trump Administration's Tariff Policies and Dollar Strategy Spark Global Economic Debate
OpenAI Acquires Jony Ive’s Startup for $6.5 Billion to Build a Revolutionary “Third Core Device”
Turkey Weighs Citizens in Public as Erdoğan Launches National Slimming Campaign
Saudi-Spanish Business Forum Commences in Riyadh
Saudi Arabia and Spain Sign MoU to Boost SME Sectors
UK Suspends Trade Talks with Israel Amid Gaza Offensive
Iran and U.S. Set for Fifth Round of Nuclear Talks Amid Rising Tensions
Russia Expands Military Presence Near Finland Amid Rising Tensions
Indian Scholar Arrested in Crackdown Over Pakistan Conflict Commentary
Israel Eases Gaza Blockade Amid Internal Dispute Over Military Strategy
President Biden’s announcement of advanced prostate cancer sparked public sympathy—but behind closed doors, Democrats are in panic
A Chinese company made solar tiles that look way nicer than regular panels!
Indian jet shootdown: the all-robot legion behind China’s PL-15E missiles
The Chinese Dragon: The True Winner in the India-Pakistan Clash
Australia's Venomous Creatures Contribute to Life-Saving Antivenom Programme
The Spanish Were Right: Long Working Hours Harm Brain Function
Did Former FBI Director Call for Violence Against Trump? Instagram Post Sparks Uproar
US and UAE Partner to Develop Massive AI Data Center Complex
Apple's $95 Million Siri Settlement: Eligible Users Have Until July 2 to File Claims
US and UAE Reach Preliminary Agreement on Nvidia AI Chip Imports
President Trump and Elon Musk Welcomed by Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim with Cybertruck Convoy
Strong Warning Issued: Do Not Use General Chatbots for Medical, Legal, or Educational Guidance
Saudi Arabia Emerges as Global Tech Magnet with U.S. Backing and Trump’s Visit
This was President's departure from Saudi Arabia. The Crown Prince personally escorted him back to the airport.
NVIDIA and Saudi Arabia Launch Strategic Partnership to Establish AI Centers
Trump Meets Syrian President Ahmad al-Shara in Historic Encounter
Trump takes a blow torch to the neocons and interventionists while speaking to the Saudis
US and Saudi Arabia Sign Landmark Agreements Across Multiple Sectors
Why Saudi Arabia Rolled Out a Purple Carpet for Donald Trump Instead of Red
Elon Musk Joins Trump Meeting in Saudi Arabia
Trump says it would be 'stupid' not to accept gift of Qatari plane
Quantum Computing Threatens Bitcoin Security
Michael Jordan to Serve as Analyst for NBA Games
×