Les Metrokomiai de Syrie du Sud

Abstract

Some metrokomiai are attested in Southern Syria during the Hnd-IVth century B.C. This official status, unknown elsewhere, was given by the Roman authorities to the main villages of Northern Batanea and Trachon instead of the status of polis because this part of the country was an imperial estate as a new Greek inscription from Sanamein testifies. These urban communities became episcopal sees as early as the IVth century, like the other cities of Arabia. But Rome did not want to give them the rank of city to save the emperor' s income.