‘Village Government’ in Roman Syria and Arabia

Abstract

AbstractThe great quantity of inscriptions on stone from Roman Arabia needs to be studied systematically if the information contained therein is to be properly understood. Sorting and ordering the inscriptions with rigid reference to chronological and geographical distribution, and to the context in which they appear, reveals changes in the use of administrative terms through the Roman period, eliminates some earlier hypotheses concerning urbanization and government, and shows that certain terms were specific to Arabia, to religious foundations, or otherwise specialized. The sidelight thus thrown on the history of Roman Syria and Arabia helps to illuminate this corner of ancient history.