2(15) 2011

Article	IMAGING OF THE LATE ROMAN CASTRUM. Hypothetical Computer Reconstruction of Nag el-Hagar Fortress in Egypt
Authors	Dmitry A. Karelin, Chief architect of TMA Kozhushanogo, Moscow, Russia
Abstract	This work is dedicated to the computer reconstruction of Roman fortress Nag el-Hagar in Egypt. This fortification was situated to the south of Luxor (ancient Thebes), not far from Kom Ombo (ancient Ombos). Apparently the fortress was built during Diocletian’s rule. Its architectural features are similar to other examples of Roman military architecture of the period of tetrarchy in Egypt. We chose Nag el-Hagar for the reconstruction because this fortress is a specimen of the classical Roman castrum which belongs to the period of Diocletian and at the same time it has some original architectural features. The remains of the palace of the Governor or a military commander which we can find inside the fortress are of a great interest to specialists in late Roman architecture. In this work we consider similar examples of late Roman military architecture both in Egypt and throughout the Roman Empire. Their architectural peculiarities give us the idea how the fortress and the palace in Nag el-Hagar could look like. Beside that, we have made an attempt to examine some problems of computer 3D reconstructions in general. This computer reconstruction of Nag el-Hagar shows that a late Roman fortress in Egypt was a majestic ensemble and its architectural and planning features were influenced not only by its military function, but also by the artistic concepts of the late Roman architects who built it.
Keywords:	Nag el-Hagar, Egypt, Rome, fortress, late Roman, late antique, Late Antiquity, tetrarchy, Diocletian, computer, reconstruction, fortification, palace
	Article
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