Never judge a book by its cover – or in this case its title. Despite the attempted subtlety in the choice of preposition in the title, most potential readers would assume that this volume deals with the border regions of the Roman Empire. Indeed, it is presumably because of his interest in such frontier zones that the present reviewer was invited to offer his views on the volume. These geo-political frontiers with their military associations have long been the focus of scholarly study, with major conferences (Limes Congresses) being held in various frontier provinces of the Empire regularly since 1949. Ironically, the most recent Limes Congress took place only a few miles to the north of Durham later in the same year as the workshop which produced the papers collected here. However, these geo-political frontiers are not the primary focus of this volume. Indeed, the editors proclaim the benefit of their more varied approach which goes beyond the geographical sense of frontier, which they see as too ‘narrow’. This seems effectively to negate any useful analytical coherence of approach. Surely, the geo-political sense of frontier is its primary meaning, with other usages being largely metaphorical and ancillary. Studies of such frontier ‘zones’, for that is how they have long been perceived, contrary to assertions by a number of authors in this volume, continue to be attractive because they address areas of complexity and fluidity in cultural dynamics at the interface between indigenous and Roman populations.
The editors attempt to impose some coherence by grouping the papers into five broad categories. The first covers changes in language reflecting changes in mentality, which show developments in how the limits of Rome were perceived over time (Richardson, Drijvers, Benoist). The second considers the impact of provincial borders on inhabitants living in their vicinity (da Costa, Nappo and Zerbini, Hingley and Hartis, Hilali, Schörner). The third addresses a range of religious activities, from social or regional patterns of worship to the imperial cult (Grijalvo, Lozano, Dirven, Evers). The fourth looks at shifting frontiers, whether administrative, fiscal, political or social (Strobel, Lewin, Vervaet, Ñaco de Hoyo et al., Cosme); while the fifth deals with people crossing boundaries, whether physical, social or ideological (Nicols, Verboven, Foubert). Thus, while several of the 20 papers deal with aspects familiar to students of Limesforschung, the majority rather overstretch the concept – some excessively so – to mean any aspect of human interaction involving lines of definition.
To this reviewer, who approaches the subject from a more archaeological perspective, the primacy of the literary and ancient historical approach in the volume is immediately apparent, as only two papers (da Costa on detecting provincial borders and Schörner on ‘client’ kingdoms) provide any illustrative material. While this may be acceptable for papers dealing with textual criticism, social practices, religious disputes or even theoretical musings on the functions of Hadrian's Wall, it is unforgiveable not to provide at least one map to contextualise the discussion in those papers which discuss detailed geo-political aspects of frontiers (notably Hilali on North Africa, Strobel on Alpine passes and Lewin on the late Roman frontier in the Near East). To assume that all readers have the same detailed familiarity with the geographical minutiae of the areas under review, or have ready access to the necessary maps in other publications, is either intellectually arrogant or lazy.
That is not to say that there is not much material of interest or value in what is a very wide-ranging volume, thematically, chronologically and geographically. It is inevitable in such volumes that the papers will be variable both in their quality and potential interest to the reader. So, to be idiosyncratically selective, this reviewer certainly benefited from reading Drijvers's analysis of the use of the term limes in the writings of Ammianus Marcellinus, which emphasises the complexity of its use and challenges the views of Isaac, even if they have already been disputed by others. Examination of the post of quintanesis in the ostraca from Berenike by Nappo and Zerbini throws interesting light on the military control of taxation and long-distance trade, though to what extent this organisational structure can be transposed to other Roman provinces is a matter for debate. Schörner's analysis of the adoption and adaptation of various aspects of material culture as a manifestation of the impact of Rome in ‘client’ kingdoms is a useful antidote to the more usual historical approach to this topic. Lozano's consideration of the role of the imperial cult in demonstrating adherence to Rome is insightful, if rather brief; while Evers offers an astute treatment of the Donatist controversy in North Africa, which successfully challenges some long-standing interpretations of its wider social significance. Lewin provides an excellent overview of recent work on the late Roman frontier in the Near East, arguing for a planned reorganisation of the southern section by Diocletian and confirming the real nature of the threat to this area from Arab tribes in the fifth century.
Two of the final three papers addressing different aspects of social interaction are no less stimulating in different ways. Nicols's brief survey of the practice of hospitium sheds interesting light on the role of hospitality and the patron/client relationship in the process of Romanisation in the Western provinces (a pity the editors did not pick up the reference to metal ‘defectors’ on the first page). Verboven's investigation of the role of collegia of resident aliens in Roman ports in contributing to the integration of the ‘imagined community’ of Roman citizens, which was so essential to the success of Empire, is similarly instructive.
Though the preface does its best to provide some unitary overview of the contributions, the volume is a bit of a ‘rag-bag’ lacking any real coherence. It remains unclear how this collection advances our understanding of the general concept of frontiers in the Roman World – the absence of a conclusion, summarising the outcome of the workshop, which presumably involved wider mutual discussions of the themes covered, may be indicative in this regard. Again from a personal perspective, it would have been interesting to have seen some wider consideration of the extent to which the limits of Empire were always precisely defined and understood. Even iconic linear boundaries like Hadrian's Wall and the Antonine Wall had contemporary outposts indicating that they did not represent the limit of direct Roman military control. How did this apparent uncertainty of definition impact on juridical, administrative, economic and social activities in such frontier zones?
