Edge of empire: the story of a Roman frontier fort in Jordan

The PastCast

An insignificant tarmac road leading off Jordan’s Desert Highway about 80km south of Amman soon becomes a dirt track across the desert. The landscape looks bare all around. No habitation can be seen, apart from a small modern farm in a side valley. The desert rolls on. And then, a speck on the horizon. A dark form, barely visible. Gradually, it becomes larger until it is a recognisable building, a square fortification with large towers at each corner. This is Qasr Bshir.

Qasr Bshir is a Roman fort that can stake a claim to being the best-preserved example anywhere in the former empire. But this relic of imperial power is in urgent need of conservation work. On this episode of The PastCast, archaeologist David Breeze discuss why Qasr Bshir is special, and the challenges that lie ahead.

This podcast accompanies an article on the fort in the latest issue of Current World Archaeology magazine, which is out now in the UK and next month in the rest of the world. It is also available to read in full on The Past website here. On this episode, David speaks with regular PastCast presenter Calum Henderson. Current World Archaeology editor Matt Symonds joins Calum to discuss what else readers can look forward to in the latest issue.

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