Location: Syria
Other Names:
Dates: Parthian and Sasanian
Type of building:
Material: Graffiti, Ostraca, Parchment
Fieldwork:
Description:
The ancient site of Dura-Europos, situated on the southwestern bank of the Euphrates River, is a multi-period location with a rich history. In the 250s CE, the site faced significant threats from a series of Sasanian Persian campaigns. The Sasanian siege of Dura-Europos in 256 CE ultimately led to the town’s downfall, as the inhabitants’ resistance required the Sasanians to deploy various siege tactics, including undermining and constructing an assault ramp. This prolonged siege, which kept Šāpūr’s army engaged for several months, ended with the city’s conquest. The remaining defensive structures offer valuable insights into mid-3rd century Sasanian and Roman military strategies, highlighting how the Romans had fortified their walls in anticipation of attacks. Evidence from the siege includes the remains of a Sasanian soldier with distinctive armor. Although debated, the chronology of the siege suggests a final conquest in 256 CE, with earlier Persian presence indicated by Middle Persian inscriptions, ostraca, parchment and other artifacts.
European intervention at the archaeological site of Dura-Europos began in 1920 when British troops, led by Captain M.C. Murphy, discovered ancient wall paintings and reported the find, prompting the involvement of archaeologist James Henry Breasted from the University of Chicago. Despite a brief assessment period due to political instability, Breasted’s work laid the groundwork for further excavation. Systematic excavations started in 1922, led by Belgian archaeologist Franz Cumont and sponsored by the French Académie des Inscriptions et Belles-Lettres. From 1928 to 1937, joint French-American efforts led by Yale professor Michael I. Rostovtzeff and others uncovered numerous artifacts, many of which are now housed at Yale University and the National Museum of Damascus. After a long hiatus, the Mission Franco-Syrienne de Europos-Doura (MFSED) resumed work in 1986, focusing on conservation and new excavations until halted by the Syrian conflict in 2011.
Since 2022, International (Digital) Dura-Europos Archive (IDEA), a digital humanities initiative funded by the US’s National Endowment for the Humanities, has actively worked to digitally re-integrating dispersed collections and improve the intelligibility and accessibility of archaeological material of this site.
Excavation Reports:
– Preliminary Report of 1st Season of Work Spring 1928 (PDF)
– Preliminary Report of 2nd Season of Work October 1928— April 1929 (PDF)
– Preliminary Report of 3rd Season of Work, November 1929 – March 1930 (PDF)
– Preliminary Report of 4th Season of Work, Oct, 1930-March 1931 (PDF)
– Preliminary Report of 5th Season, Oct. 1931-March 1932 (PDF)
– Preliminary Report of 6th Season of Work Oct. 1932-March 1933 (PDF)
– Preliminary report of the 7th and 8th seasons of work 1933-1934 and 1934-1935 (PDF)
– Preliminary report of 9th season of work. 9. 1935-1936: Part 1. The Agora and Bazaar (PDF)
– Preliminary report of the 9th season of work, 1935-1936: Part 2. The Necropolis (PDF)
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Bibliography:
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