ABSTRACT
The interpretive framework for Hellenistic–Roman–Byzantine archaeology in the Levant has lived with the Western tradition of historiography that viewed the fate of the peoples of the region from the classical imperial centers. For outlying centers like Umm al-Jimal this meant their placement on the frontier of empire, and the measure of success or failure, was related to the amount of security provided by the respective empire against various perceived enemies—for example, Parthian/Persian aggressors, raiding nomads. It was stated thus early in the Umm al-Jimal Project: ‘This deliberate fortification provided the stability and safety that enabled the development of permanent settlements like Umm el-Jimal’ (de Vries 1985: 255).
