Open this page in a new tab

Augustopolis in Palaestina

Augustopolis in Palaestina

click on image to explore this site on a new tab in Google Earth


Names

Transliterated Name Language Name
Augustopolis in Palaestina Latin
Adhruh, Udhruh Arabic اذرح
Adrou Greek Άδρου
Introduction
Introduction

Augustopolis in Palaestina, identified with the site of modern Adhruh in southern Jordan, was a Roman and Byzantine-era settlement located near Petra in the province of Palaestina Tertia. Strategically situated along the Via Nova Traiana, it developed as a military, administrative, and ecclesiastical center during the 4th to 6th centuries CE. The site includes remains of a fortified Roman castellum, later reused in the Byzantine period, as well as residential and religious architecture. Augustopolis gained ecclesiastical prominence as a bishopric subordinate to the metropolitan see of Petra, with bishops recorded at major church councils including the Council of Ephesus in 431 CE. The town declined by the early Islamic period, likely due to changing trade patterns and regional instability. No published archaeoseismic evidence has been identified at Augustopolis to date, though its location within the active Dead Sea Transform suggests that future excavations may reveal signs of past seismic impacts.

History of Excavations

Systematic archaeological exploration at Adhruh, identified as ancient Augustopolis in Palaestina, began in the late 20th century with surveys and limited excavations conducted by the Finnish Institute in the Middle East (FIME) and other European academic teams. Initial work focused on the Roman castellum—a rectangular fort with corner towers and internal structures typical of late Roman military installations. Subsequent investigations clarified the reuse of the fort in the Byzantine period, identifying modifications linked to the site's later function as an ecclesiastical and civilian settlement. The presence of Christian inscriptions and a church-like structure supported the identification of Adhruh as Augustopolis, a Byzantine bishopric noted in ecclesiastical records. Recent surveys and remote sensing continue to enhance understanding of the site’s urban layout, defensive architecture, and regional connections via the Via Nova Traiana. To date, no archaeoseismic study has been published, and archaeological emphasis has largely focused on military and religious transformations during the late antique period.

Maps and Aerial Views
Maps and Aerial Views

Maps

Normal Size

  • Fig. 1 Roman-Byzantine
    Figure 1

    Roman-Byzantine Southern Jordan

    Fiema (1995)
    Southern Jordan from Fiema (1995)

Magnified

  • Fig. 1 Roman-Byzantine
    Figure 1

    Roman-Byzantine Southern Jordan

    Fiema (1995)
    Southern Jordan from Fiema (1995)

Aerial Views

Normal Size

  • Fig. 2 Oblique Aerial
    Figure 2

    Oblique aerial photograph of the excavation area, taken by D. Kennedy in 2009

    APAAME_20090930_ DLK-0299

    Danah, F.A.B et al. (2010)
    Photograph from Danah, F.A.B et al. (2010)
  • Augustopolis in Palaestina
    Augustopolis in Palaestina

    click on image to explore this site on a new tab in Google Earth
    in Google Earth

Magnified

  • Fig. 2 Oblique Aerial
    Figure 2

    Oblique aerial photograph of the excavation area, taken by D. Kennedy in 2009

    APAAME_20090930_ DLK-0299

    Danah, F.A.B et al. (2010)
    Photograph from Danah, F.A.B et al. (2010)
  • Augustopolis in Palaestina
    Augustopolis in Palaestina

    click on image to explore this site on a new tab in Google Earth
    in Google Earth

Chronology
Phasing

Entire Site

From 1st and 2nd Season Excavation Reports

  • from Chat GPT 4o, 6 June 2025
  • summarized by ChatGPT version 4o
Stratigraphic investigations at Udhruh, identified with Augustopolis in Palaestina, were conducted during the 2008 and 2010 field seasons. Excavations revealed five major phases of occupation. The earliest phase, while not architecturally preserved, is suggested by ceramic material attributed to the Nabataean period. The most prominent phase corresponds to the Roman construction of a rectangular fort with standard defensive elements such as corner towers and internal barracks, dated to the 2nd–4th centuries CE. This was later reused and modified in the Byzantine period with the introduction of ecclesiastical architecture and domestic features. Sparse Umayyad/Early Islamic reuse is evident, followed by abandonment and gradual collapse. No clear evidence of earthquake-related destruction was noted, though future excavation may clarify collapse mechanisms.

Phase Period Date Description
I Nabataean pre-106 CE No architecture in situ. Ceramic sherds and reused elements suggest pre-Roman Nabataean presence in the earliest fills.
II Roman Military 2nd–4th century CE Construction of castellum with corner towers and barracks. Ashlar masonry walls; Roman coarse wares and amphorae present. Lowest defined occupation layer.
III Byzantine Late 4th–6th century CE Conversion of fort to domestic and religious use. Presence of a church-like structure, room additions, Christian graffiti, plastered floors. Late Roman and Byzantine ceramics.
IV Umayyad/Early Islamic 7th–8th century CE Light reuse of spaces, possible squatters or short-term occupation. Islamic-period ceramics found in secondary contexts. No new major construction.
V Post-Occupation/Abandonment Post–8th century CE Collapse debris and erosion layers fill interior spaces. No structural activity. Surface finds suggest minor Ottoman or recent visitation.


Sources

Abudanah, F., Shqiarat, M., & Al-Muheisen, Z. (2010) The 2008 Excavations at Udhruh, ADAJ 54: 35–44

Danah, F.A.B et al.(2010) The Second Season Of Excavations At Udhru Preliminary Report , ADAJ 54

Fiema, Z. T. (1995). Military Architecture and "Defense" System in Roman-Byzantine Southern Jordan. A Critical Appraisal of Recent Interpretations . In Studies in the Archaeology and History of Jordan (Vol. 5, pp. 261-270). Department of Antiquities of Jordan.

From Abudanh's Dissertation

  • from Chat GPT 4o, 6 June 2025
  • summarized by ChatGPT version 4o
In his 2006 study, Abudanh analyzed regional settlement and fortification patterns in and around Udhruh during the Roman and Byzantine periods. His assessment of ceramic, architectural, and topographical data allows for a generalized five-phase occupation sequence. The earliest occupation is inferred from Nabataean material reused in later structures, followed by a major Roman military phase that saw the construction of a rectangular fort. During the Byzantine period, this installation was repurposed for civilian and religious functions, though continued military oversight is likely. Evidence of limited activity during the Umayyad period exists, but most structures fell into disrepair by the Abbasid period, initiating the site's abandonment. Abudanh stresses the strategic military importance of Udhruh as a frontier garrison along the Via Nova Traiana corridor, but makes no reference to destruction due to seismic activity.

Phase Period Date Description
I Nabataean pre-106 CE No architecture preserved; Nabataean pottery and building stones reused in Roman contexts suggest pre-Roman occupation.
II Roman Military 2nd–4th century CE Construction of rectangular fort with standard Roman layout. Part of a regional military network along the Via Nova Traiana. Fort dominates Udhruh’s early built environment.
III Late Roman–Byzantine Late 4th–6th century CE Reuse and modification of fort for religious and civilian use. Some continued military presence likely. Christian symbols, reused materials, and modified plans attest to new function.
IV Umayyad 7th–early 8th century CE Reduced occupation or reuse of older structures. No large-scale construction. Activity mostly inferred from ceramic scatter and reuse layers.
V Abbasid and Later Post–750 CE Abandonment. Structures fall into disrepair and site depopulates. Some evidence for short-term pastoral or transient use in later periods.


Sources

Abudanh, F. (2006) Settlement Patterns and Military Organisation in the Region of Udhruh (southern Jordan) in the Roman and Byzantine Periods, PhD Thesis, University of Manchester

Wikipedia: Udhruh

Wikipedia: Via Nova Traiana

Southern Cyril Quake - 363 CE

As there is extensive archaeoseismic evidence from the Southern Cyril Quake of 363 CE in nearby Petra, it can be expected that Augustopolis in Palaestina was also damaged during this earthquake.

Notes and Further Reading
References

Articles and Books

Abudanah, F. (2004) The Archaeological Survey for the Region of Udhruh, 2003 (Preliminary Report), ADAJ 48: 51–70

Abudanh, Fawzi (2006) Settlement Patterns and Military Organisation in the Region of Udhruh (southern Jordan) in the Roman and Byzantine Periods , PhD Dissertation Newcastle upon Tyne University

Abudanah, F., Shqiarat, M., & Al-Muheisen, Z. (2010) The 2008 Excavations at Udhruh, Annual of the Department of Antiquities of Jordan 54: 35–44

Bowersock (1983) Roman Arabia Harvard University Press

Danah, F.A.B et al.(2010) The Second Season Of Excavations At Udhru Preliminary Report , ADAJ 54

Driessen, M., & Abudanah, F. (2019) The Udhruḥ Intervisibility: Antique Communication Networks in the Hinterland of Petra, Studies in the History and Archaeology of Jordan 13: 453–473

Driessen, M., & Abudanah, F. (2018) The Udhruh region: A green desert in the hinterland of ancient Petra in Water Societies and Technologies from the Past and Present, UCL Press

Driessen, M., & Abudanah, F. (2023) Archaeological Project Sheds Light on Ancient Water Management in Udhruh, The Jordan Times

Fiema, Z. T. (1995). Military Architecture and "Defense" System in Roman-Byzantine Southern Jordan. A Critical Appraisal of Recent Interpretations . In Studies in the Archaeology and History of Jordan (Vol. 5, pp. 261-270). Department of Antiquities of Jordan.

Killick, A. (2001) The Water Supply Systems in the Region of Udhruh, SHAJ 9: 485–496

Musil (1907) Arabia Petraea II: Edom Kaiserliche Akademie der Wissenschaften

Websites

Udhruh Archaeological Project at Universiteit Leiden

Pleiades: Augustopolis

Udhruh Photos at ACOR

Udhruh at APAAME (on flickr)

Wikipedia pages

Augustopolis in Palaestina



Udhruh



Via Traiana Nova