The Defences of Hatra. Fortifications, Weapons and Strategy against the Roman and Sassanian Armies during the 2nd and 3rd cent. CE

The defences of Hatra protected the site from the attacks of the most formidable armies of the 2nd–3rd centuries CE, namely the Roman and the Sassanian armies. Thanks to their distinctive features, these imposing structures demonstrated exceptional effectiveness and adaptability over time. They successfully accommodated the technological and tactical evolutions of armies during centuries marked by numerous campaigns in the Near East, while also addressing the specific needs of the Hatrean army. This paper analyses in detail all the components of the city’s defences, proposing a new chronology based on new data from the site. The strategies of Hatra’s defense are also evaluated in light of the historical sources recording the Roman and Sassanian sieges, several archaeological data concerning the characteristics of the Hatrean army, and some interesting weapons discovered at the site.