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Cold war satellite images reveal hundreds of unknown Roman forts

Declassified spy images point to 396 undiscovered forts in Syria and Iraq, shifting understanding of Roman frontier Caroline Davies Thu 26 Oct 2023 05.00 BST Last modified on Thu 26 Oct 2023 05.29 BST

Declassified cold-war spy satellite images have thrown new light on the workings of the Roman empire by revealing hundreds of previously undiscovered forts, with dramatic implications for our understanding, experts have said.

Archeologists examining aerial photographs taken in the 1960s and 70s said they reveal 396 sites of unknown Roman forts in Syria and Iraq across the Syrian steppe.

The findings, published today in Antiquity, an international archeology academic journal, have now forced a re-evaluation of life at the Roman frontier.