Alexandra Ratzlaff
Alexandra Ratzlaff is an Assistant Professor of Classical Archaeology and Digital Humanities in the Department of Classical and Early Mediterranean Studies at Brandeis University. As a Classical and Near Eastern archaeologist, she specializes in the archaeology of the eastern Mediterranean. Her current field excavation projects are primarily in Israel, where she is Director of the Birsama Exploration Project, and Associate Director at Tel Kabri Excavations. She recently began a new collaborative project, the Mafia Archipelago Heritage Alliance (MAHAlli) on Mafia Island, Tanzania. The project explores an emporium site beginning in the Roman period to the 16th century colonial presence through terrestrial and underwater archaeology, as well as the construction and curation of a new island museum. Her research examines the Roman army, ancient economy, ceramics, among other topics. Ratzlaff is also the Project Lead for the Brandeis Techne Group and the Director of the Brandeis University Classical and Early Mediterranean Studies Artifact Research Collection (CLARC).
Presenter at
Spring Bible & Archaeology Fest 2025, April 5-6, 2025
Military, Trade, and Transformation: Unveiling Economic and Administrative Dynamics in the Roman and Byzantine Negev
In the marginal zone of the Negev, maintaining economic stability through authority was a primary objective. This region, once a hub of vibrant trade along the Nabataean Incense Route, saw its commercial landscape reshaped under Roman rule. Here, the Roman military acted as an extension of imperial administration to support the smooth functioning of trade. Military units monitored road systems, secured supply lines, and performed local policing duties functioning, in effect, as agents of imperial administration. The Romans strategically extended their presence by deploying armies and preserving the Nabataean ‘guardian nodes’ along key trade routes. Among these nodes, Birsama (Horbat Be’er Shema’) in the northern Negev emerged as a critical Late Roman military site. The establishment of a substantial army fort transformed Birsama into a thriving Late Roman and Byzantine community as an administrative, economic, and civic center for the immediate region. The Birsama Exploration Project, through new survey and excavation efforts, aims to uncover how the Roman army leveraged Birsama as a central economic and administrative hub, strategically close to the port at Gaza. Investigation of the fort and its environs offer the potential for valuable insights into the Roman military’s evolution and integration into the Negev’s trade network during these periods.
