Procopius on the Palm Grove

This paper examines Procopius’ discussion of the Palm Grove presented in his two works: Wars and Buildings – a topic that has received only passing attention in the scholarship. Based on a closer look at Procopius’ language (he mostly uses a singular form of φοινικών); broader contextual questions (Abu Karib); the archaeobotanical history of selected sites in the Hijāz; a consideration of comparative textual sources like Nonnosus; and an assessment of the potential distance between the Roman Empire and the Palm Grove, I argue that the most likely modern location of this place is Madā’in Salīh or, somewhat more likely, Taymā, both in contemporary Saudi Arabia.