Inspired by settler colonial studies, some researchers have recently proposed approaching ancient colonisation as a long-term, structural process, avoiding a disproportionate emphasis on the foundation of colonies, the act of centuriation and the event-focused impact on indigenous populations (J. Pelgrom in Pelgrom and Six (eds), Settler Colonialism as a Structure? (2025)). Though seemingly unaware of this discourse, Roux’s book aims to investigate the role of foreign soldiers in the social, political and economic transformations of Phrygia from the fourth century b.c.e. up until the third century c.e. The subjects of this investigation are not just active military colonists (soldiers/veterans), but also their descendants. This inclusion of soldiers-turned-civilians allows consideration of the structural implications of military colonisation on Phrygian societies.
The first volume consists of an introduction, three chapters, a conclusion, an index and a bibliography. The chapters address the three types of dynamics identified in the book title. The spatial dynamics of the first chapter (21–186) are grounded in the identification of soldiers, veterans and their descendants in the various regions and communities of Phrygia. Their spatial distribution informs an interpretation of military-strategic choices (territorial expansion; defence; surveillance). If Achaemenid and Seleucid military forces/colonists were mostly centred around the main roads (the Royal Route), Attalid and Roman military presence was much denser, forming a defensive line (against Galatians and Pisidians) and controlling valleys and routes. The book’s ample use of maps helps the reader in understanding Phrygian topography and geography.
The second chapter (187–280) foregrounds the economic impact of colonisation by considering military actors as producers, consumers, exploiters, pillagers and policemen. In all periods, landed territories and resources were appropriated for the benefit of military officials and, in later periods, also foot soldiers and veterans. With a fixed salary, relatively high income and privileges, these individuals generally enjoyed a better economic base than the indigenous population. The impact of military actors and their descendants is listed as a set of positive influences (e.g. market integration, monetarisation) and negative ones (e.g. expropriation, exaction). R. claims that, because the evidence does not allow for general quantification, the economic relationship between military colonists and indigenous residents remains difficult to assess.
The third chapter (281–400) examines the socio-cultural position of military colonists vis-à-vis the Phrygian inhabitants and considers cultural, social and religious habits, integration of families, and the relationship between urban and rural communities. An evaluation of family structures, life expectancy/mortality rate, use of language and professional activities of military colonists concludes that they were not much different from the Phrygian population. Yet evidence for magistracies, liturgies, benefactions, honours and gravestones shows that they could reach relatively higher status, have greater wealth and enjoy closer connections to institutions of power. This potential is reflected most clearly in Antiochia in Phrygia/Pisidia and in poleis like Hierapolis, Apamea, Apollonia and Eumeneia. The concentration of urbanised communities in the Maiandros valley and along the main thoroughfares (Royal Route/Via Sebaste) created a division between central and southern, urbanised Phrygia (integrated/Hellenised population) and northern, rural Phrygia (less influence from military colonists).
An obstacle to the comparative study of the impact of military colonists under Achaemenid, Greco-Macedonian and Roman rule in Phrygia is the unequal availability of evidence. Most evidence dates to Roman rule (especially the second and third centuries c.e.). R. tries to overcome this, primarily through an onomastic method (17–19): persons are identified as descendants of military colonists based on onomastic affiliation with the royal Seleucid and Attalid family/entourage (e.g. Attalos, Laodike, Zeuxis) or based on Persian specificity (e.g. names starting with ‘Mithra-’). This method is questionable, because Greco-Macedonian and Persian names frequently occur alongside Anatolian names within the same family, the approach excludes the possibility of migration, and a Persian origin for names starting with ‘Mithra-’ is doubtful given the widespread presence of the cult of Mithras in the Roman army. As this onomastic method is fundamental to the data selection, such doubts about the validity of the method challenge a considerable part of the evidentiary basis for Achaemenid and Greco-Macedonian military presence.
The second volume presents a numismatic and epigraphic catalogue, which is usefully made available online (https://books.openedition.org/momeditions/17045#anchor-toc-1-206). These catalogues present data in a clear and transparent way, together with tables in the first volume. Curiously, the textual narrative in this volume is largely descriptive, presenting one piece of evidence after another. This way of presenting historical and archaeological data seems ill-suited for a study of historical dynamics. Given the aim of investigating the transformative impact of military colonists in this society, it appears pertinent to analyse their presence and activities in interaction with those of the indigenous population and other social groups in particular communities. Is it possible to understand the role of military colonists in a society at all, when data collection and description is limited to evidence for those colonists only?
La colonisation militaire en Phrygie contains a vast amount of mostly epigraphic and numismatic data, otherwise scattered in catalogues, journals and books. The monograph provides, therefore, an excellent point of entry for studies on the military presence in Phrygia, but this reviewer doubts that the chosen modes of narration and methods of analysis are the best ones for an examination of the structures and transformations of colonial societies.
