What question did this study set out to answer?

This research aims to explore the significance of Nysa-Scythopolis as a central hub for transportation and urban planning in the Roman and Byzantine periods.

April 29, 2026

A Network (capita viarum) of Roads, Bridges and City Gates Connecting to the Colonnaded Streets of Roman-Period Nysa-Scythopolis: Evidence of Efficient Traffic Planning

Key Points

This research aims to explore the significance of Nysa-Scythopolis as a central hub for transportation and urban planning in the Roman and Byzantine periods.
Analyzed the strategic location and transportation networks of Nysa-Scythopolis.
Examined major Roman gates and bridges, including Aelia Capitolina, Gerasa, and Naḥal Ḥarod.
Investigated gate typologies and their urban integration with streets and piazzas.
Identified three major Roman gates that facilitated local and imperial traffic.
Demonstrated the city's layout maximized logistical efficiency for transport purposes.
Illustrated the integration of monumental architecture with urban infrastructure.

Abstract

This article investigates the strategic importance of Nysa-Scythopolis (Bet She’an) as a key transportation and urban center during the Roman and Byzantine periods. Located at a critical junction between the Jordan Valley and the central mountain ridges, the city comprised a complex network of regional roads and monumental gates, facilitating both local and imperial mobility. This study focuses on three of five major Roman gates—Aelia Capitolina, Gerasa, Neapolis, Damascus and Caesarea—each aligned with major intercity arteries, as well as on the construction of two Roman bridges crossing Naḥal Ḥarod, Jisr el-Khan and the skew bridge Jisr el-Maktu‘a. Gate typologies are analyzed, as well as their integration into urban planning—via spacious paved piazzas and a bypass street system—illustrating the city’s logistical efficiency and its central role in the Roman transportation network in the Levant.

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