08-22-2006, 11:21 PM
Hi,
Burg Hornberg sits above the town of Neckarzimmern along the Neckar River not too far from Bad Wimpfen. Burg Hornberg is one of the oldest castles in the Neckar Valley. In the course of taking a self-guided tour, one learns that the site was originally occupied by a Roman watchtower. Since visiting a number of years ago, I've been very curious about the Roman presence on the site and along that stretch of the Neckar.
Unfortunately, I've been unable to discover much on my own. In fact, I've only ever found one written reference to it. In the book "Burg Hornberg Rüstzeugschau 1980" there is a one sentence mention that new limes research concluded that a Roman watchtower had occupied the site. No reference is cited. At a guess, I think the watchtower was likely built sometime between A.D. 85 and 90. I originally thought A.D. 90 was more likely because Luttwak in "The Grand Strategy of the Roman Empire" notes that circa A.D. 90 a series of forts and watchtowers were constructed throughout the region, including a cohort fort at Wimpfen (pages 92-93). However, the website for the city of Bad Wimpfen reflects that the Roman presence there dates to A.D. 85 in the form of an oak beam, so now I'm a bit confused.
Is anyone here familiar with the research that concluded a watchtower occupied the site of the present day Burg Hornberg? Have artifacts been found or has there been an archaeological investigation? And also can someone please confirm when the Romans first appeared in the area?
Emil
Burg Hornberg sits above the town of Neckarzimmern along the Neckar River not too far from Bad Wimpfen. Burg Hornberg is one of the oldest castles in the Neckar Valley. In the course of taking a self-guided tour, one learns that the site was originally occupied by a Roman watchtower. Since visiting a number of years ago, I've been very curious about the Roman presence on the site and along that stretch of the Neckar.
Unfortunately, I've been unable to discover much on my own. In fact, I've only ever found one written reference to it. In the book "Burg Hornberg Rüstzeugschau 1980" there is a one sentence mention that new limes research concluded that a Roman watchtower had occupied the site. No reference is cited. At a guess, I think the watchtower was likely built sometime between A.D. 85 and 90. I originally thought A.D. 90 was more likely because Luttwak in "The Grand Strategy of the Roman Empire" notes that circa A.D. 90 a series of forts and watchtowers were constructed throughout the region, including a cohort fort at Wimpfen (pages 92-93). However, the website for the city of Bad Wimpfen reflects that the Roman presence there dates to A.D. 85 in the form of an oak beam, so now I'm a bit confused.
Is anyone here familiar with the research that concluded a watchtower occupied the site of the present day Burg Hornberg? Have artifacts been found or has there been an archaeological investigation? And also can someone please confirm when the Romans first appeared in the area?
Emil
Emil Bosman
