Jordan - Qasr Bshir (a Roman Castellum)

Located approximately 80 km. to the south of Amman and 15 km to the northwest of the present-day town of el-Qatrana and the same distance to the northeast of the legionary fortress of el-Lejjun is the fort of Qas Bshir. Remarkably well preserved, this castellum stands as a poignant reminder of the long vanquished might of Rome on this, the southeastern fringe of the Empire. The fort is located at an elevation of ca. 800 m, in the center of a shallow depression in a broad, undulating plain, cut by numerous shallow wadi (valley) beds, all draining to the west to Wadi Mujib. To the north, approximately 3 km distant, is a ridge of hills overlooking Wadi Su’aydah, a tributary of Wadi Mujib. Approximately 2 km to the east is a low ridge which overlooks the desert to the east. The region itself is best described as arid steppe land. The siting of the castellum is just below the top of a low rise, on its western side with a southwesterly aspect . Bedrock is very shallow, covered by only a thin deposit of loess. From the summit of its towers the fort dominates the surrounding region, with excellent views in all directions except the south. All movement across the plain or across the hills to the east would have been monitored from here. Cavalry patrols, to which the terrain is ideally suited, would have added to the fort's surveillance potential.