09-18-2018, 08:12 PM
My first thread is about a doubt about who controlled this city between these years. I am creating a website about the Roman Empire and managing to recreate the border under several periods and cities timeline (see https://www.romanempire.cloud/history?l=EN - you have to select the cities in which you are interested), but the 260-298 period is not clear for Nisibis.
What do we know?
Nisibis was initially taken by Trajanus, but left after the retreat and finally lost with the Parthian client kingdom defeaut under Hadrian (117 AD).
After was conquered but not annexed under Lucius Verus' campaings, and finally annexed under Septimius Severus. With Caracalla the empire arrived to control the territory around Hatra (probably as client kingdom).
Shapur I in his first campaign against Rome conquered Nisibis and other cities, but the Gordian III reconquered all the territories (242), moving also in the Eastern Mesopotamia, where he died.
In the second campaign (252), Shapur seems that managed to conquer again Nisibis, but this fact is confirmed only by secondaries sources, for what I know (Zosimus, V-VI centuries). But, for what I know, this fact is neither confirmed in the Res Gestae Divi Saporis, that instead describe an attack versus Syria (Dura Europos (only in 256), Antiochia, ...), but nothing versus the the central Mesopotamia.
In the 257 Valerianus was able to take back a great part of the lost territories, around the Euphrate river, without the need to take cities in the central part of Mesopotamia, so also this suggests that Nisibis was not taken during the second campaign.
Finally, with the third offensive and the Valerianus' capture, the Eastern front quite collapsed, but even with this new offensive (against Edessa and Carrhae), we cannot see any reference to Nisibis in the Res Gestae Divi Saporis.
So, my first question, have I missed anything? Do we have any source of the period that includes the lost of Nisibis in the second or third Shapur's offensive?
After Shapur's campaigns, we can see the Odenatus' rise, and Odenatus taken back Edessa, Carrhae... and it seems also Nisibis (260/261). But also here, I cannot find any primary source, or archaeological testimony (coins, inscriptions, ...). Do you have any valid source for this?
After, Nisibis should be for sure under Roman Control. But,in the 298, Nisibis (and Mesopotamia), seems to be part of the conquest of Galerius' campaign. So, it seems that Nisibis at the time was not part of the Roman Empire... but when was it lost?
I have found that the only explanation to this could be that after the defeat of the 296, the Romans left Nisibis, but it is also possible that the city was not abandoned and the Roman garrison remained there.
We know that in the 298 Diocletianus moved to Nisibis to stop Galerius' campaign, but for what I know there was no military conquest of the city.
So, do you have any primary source for this period about who controlled Nisibis in these ages?
What do we know?
Nisibis was initially taken by Trajanus, but left after the retreat and finally lost with the Parthian client kingdom defeaut under Hadrian (117 AD).
After was conquered but not annexed under Lucius Verus' campaings, and finally annexed under Septimius Severus. With Caracalla the empire arrived to control the territory around Hatra (probably as client kingdom).
Shapur I in his first campaign against Rome conquered Nisibis and other cities, but the Gordian III reconquered all the territories (242), moving also in the Eastern Mesopotamia, where he died.
In the second campaign (252), Shapur seems that managed to conquer again Nisibis, but this fact is confirmed only by secondaries sources, for what I know (Zosimus, V-VI centuries). But, for what I know, this fact is neither confirmed in the Res Gestae Divi Saporis, that instead describe an attack versus Syria (Dura Europos (only in 256), Antiochia, ...), but nothing versus the the central Mesopotamia.
In the 257 Valerianus was able to take back a great part of the lost territories, around the Euphrate river, without the need to take cities in the central part of Mesopotamia, so also this suggests that Nisibis was not taken during the second campaign.
Finally, with the third offensive and the Valerianus' capture, the Eastern front quite collapsed, but even with this new offensive (against Edessa and Carrhae), we cannot see any reference to Nisibis in the Res Gestae Divi Saporis.
So, my first question, have I missed anything? Do we have any source of the period that includes the lost of Nisibis in the second or third Shapur's offensive?
After Shapur's campaigns, we can see the Odenatus' rise, and Odenatus taken back Edessa, Carrhae... and it seems also Nisibis (260/261). But also here, I cannot find any primary source, or archaeological testimony (coins, inscriptions, ...). Do you have any valid source for this?
After, Nisibis should be for sure under Roman Control. But,in the 298, Nisibis (and Mesopotamia), seems to be part of the conquest of Galerius' campaign. So, it seems that Nisibis at the time was not part of the Roman Empire... but when was it lost?
I have found that the only explanation to this could be that after the defeat of the 296, the Romans left Nisibis, but it is also possible that the city was not abandoned and the Roman garrison remained there.
We know that in the 298 Diocletianus moved to Nisibis to stop Galerius' campaign, but for what I know there was no military conquest of the city.
So, do you have any primary source for this period about who controlled Nisibis in these ages?
