Current scholarly debates on the Near East in Roman times repeatedly focus on the question of the cultural identity of the local population. For the Syrian region in particular, the peripheral location between Rome and the Parthian or Sassanid Empire raises the questions of acculturation, assimilation and identity formation of the local population. Although current studies on migration suggest a reciprocal relationship between integration and participation, little attention has so far been paid to the opportunities for local Syrian elites to participate in decision-making processes at the imperial level. Based on a systematic analysis of material and written sources, my doctoral project addresses the question "How do provincial elites participate in decision-making processes and elite status at the imperial level? The province of Syria from 64 BC to 270 AD" and examine how the local Syrian elites were integrated into the participation and decision-making processes of the Roman Empire. At the same time, the inclusion of archaeological material allows me to change my perspective from the imperial to the local level, which prevents a purely Roman view. However, my dissertation does not only focus on the question of the actors, but also on the possibilities and necessary conditions for participation. Furthermore, continuities and discontinuities as well as moments of demarcation and/or similarities with other imperial provinces are worked out.