Roman camp at Hedemünden near Göttingen.

[Natuspardo]

The Hedemünden camp will produce new finds for many many years it seems. The highlights: silver coins, parts of a sword and the conclusion that Cassius Dio is a reliable source!
Here is a news update translated from Göttinger Tageblatt, August 24th:

"Every day we have 20 to 25 finds." The district archeologist of Göttingen, Klaus Grote, is enthusiastic. ...
At the moment there is another excavation running. ... "Yesterday we found a silver denarius", says Grote.
This coin with a portrait of the Roman goddes Ceres can be dated precisely: It is from 102-100 BC. "These coins were used over long periods of time", explains Grote. Even at the time of Drusus' campaigns, beginning in 12 BC.
... The archeologists found again and again nails of sandals. ...
In the meantime the archeologists know that the main camp of the complex facility was nearly completely overbuild with administrative buildings, buildings for the soldiers and logistics. Another adjacent camp probably also had internal buildings cause there were conserved some artificial stone structures.
... "So many fantastic finds were never found before in a camp on the right side of the Rhine", says the head of the Althistorisches Seminar of the university of Göttingen, Gustav Adolf Lehmann. Besides coins and jewelry the archeologists found arrow heads, a peace of a sword and even a legionary dagger, parts of baggage carts and rests of grain mills.
What is especially electrifieing for the historians are the conclusions that could be drawn from the finds. The scientists now have the proof that the often doubted description of the Roman senator Cassius Dio about the campaign of Drusus are correct. The places of the finds around the camp of Hedemünden correspond with the route of the legionaries towards the Elbe described by the Roman historian. "Now we have got a crucial confirmation of this antique campaign report", says Lehmann.

[Jona Lendering]

Laudes, laudes, laudes. Thanks for keeping us updated. I was unaware that the "description of the Roman senator Cassius Dio about the campaign of Drusus" was often doubted, though.

[Simplex]

Sometime in early 2007 Hedemünden chief excavator Klaus Grote, went to press stating that they found 2 more camps not too far away from the main camp at the Werra ford. He also claimed that they found quite a run of roman roads in this area, too. The most prestigious find was a pugio.
It seems that he now has become more specific on that previous information:
http://www.uena.de/news/pdf/2299969 (06.02.)
(By origin this is a DPA news, that can be found in several other german newspapers too)
Roughly translated it says:
-----
Roman Camp In Osterrode (Kaufunger Forrest)
Medieval fortification turns out to be roman camp
Osterrode (dpa) A presumedly medieval Ringwall in the Kaufunger Forrest near Oberrode (Nether Saxonia) turned out to be a roman military station.
According to Goettingen County Archeologist Klaus Grote this oval fortification of 70x110 m served as outpost to the Hedemünden camp that was discovered in 2003.
Numerous findings throughout the last months have meanwhile stated that case. On location at Oberrode findings like e.g. Roman sandal hobnails, tent-pegs, metal carriage parts have been lifted.
The Hedemünden location is being considered as the largest and most well-preserved excavation site in Germany from the times of Emperor Augustus (27 B.C.-14 A.D.).
In Grote's words there is no certainty yet as to what the function of this Station about 1.5 miles away from the main camp was. Further excavations should give some clue. Since a lot of stone findings from that site are bearing traces of fire this station may have been destroyed by means of force.
By utilizing metal detectors archeologists kept making finds on the main camp's site (in Hedemünden) throughout 2007. Grote reports about 700 metal finds from Roman times. Coinage, spatulae for cosmetical and medical purposes, a fibula head, a lance-tip, tips from arrow-catapults and diverse tools.
According to knowledge "as yet" Roman commander Drusus seems to have used the military installations at Hedemünden for his conquering campaigns towards the river Elbe.
----
Well, folks ....
There ARE situations when I strongly feel that English is STILL a foreign language to me. So please do pardon my mistakes.
Hope to be of any service

Greez

Simplex

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

Good to see they are using detectors!

Your English is excellent, certainly better than mine , most of the time... :lol:

This is all interesting info!

[Natuspardo]

Simplex - it is Oberode (not Osterrode!!!, and with only one r!)

What I could add:
As outposts of the Roman camp at Hedemünden 2 new sites were discovered:
1) the ring wall Kring in the Kaufunger forest, at the Ravensberg near Oberode
2) another one near Mollenfelde
Grote thought the site 1) could be Roman when he found a pugio last year, 29 centimetres long. He also found a tent peg, metal fittings for carts, a plummet for land survey and many sandal nails.

[Simplex]

Of course it's Oberode , not Osterrode oder Oberrode. Where was my head ?
My excuses to all.

Simplex

[Jona Lendering]

It seems that he now has become more specific on that previous information:
http://www.uena.de/news/pdf/2299969 (06.02.)

I am so very happy with this posting! Please keep us updated! Massive laudes.

[Simplex]

Natuspardo,
since one of the locations (Kring/Ravensberg) you mentioned seems to be
the one the linked article is about, this raises the questions: :wink:
1) Is it really so ?
2) Have you got more informations about it ?
I been "googling around" a bit and whereas I could find some articles about Oberrode I could not find anything about "Mollenfelde".
Help appreciated

Greez&Thanx
:!:
Simplex

[Natuspardo]

Siggi,

1) yes - the news article refers to the Kring.
2) not many.
Look at [url:18oo8ql7]http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/R%C3%B6merlager_Hedem%C3%BCnden[/url]

Grote describes it on wiki under "Militärische Außenposten".
I sum up:
2 outposts are located:
a) one towards northeast 5 km away
b) one towards southwest 3 km away
a) is Mollenfelde, b) Kring.
At both places coins from Augustus were found. Mollenfelde can be found online - its a little village in the Gemeinde Friedland.


as appetizer some reconstructed metal findings, including a pilum, Hasta, dolabrae, bolts:

[P. Clodius Secundus]

Jens,
Are any photos or information available about the baggage cart parts?
Regards,
Randi R.

[Simplex]

Natuspardo,
...thats what I call "satisfactory answer" !
Thank you.

Simplex

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

Very interesting looking dolabra!

[Natuspardo]

Sorry Randi,
if you want you might contact the archeologist Grote directly
[email protected]
This is the literature published so far:
* Fundchronik Niedersachsen 2003, Beiheft der Nachrichten aus Niedersachsens Urgeschichte (Stuttgart 2004), 79-82.
* Göttinger Jahrbuch 52, 2004, 5-12.
* Archäologie in Deutschland Heft 5, 2004, 4-5.
* Archäologie in Niedersachsen 8, 2005, 113-117.
* Monographie: Römerlager Hedemünden. Vor 2000 Jahren: Römer an der Werra. Sydekum-Schriften zur Geschichte der Stadt Münden 34. Hann.Münden 2005, ISBN 3-925451-358.
You could order this at Amazon - but I dont know what it contains about your issue.
* Germania 84, 2006 (1. Halbband), 27-59.

Jens,
Are any photos or information available about the baggage cart parts?
Regards,
Randi R.

[Natuspardo]

According to the county archeologist Klaus Grote in Hedemünden a "sensation for the experts" was found: a metal chain which fixes head and hands at the same time. It was found at one of the outposts of the Roman camp at Hedemünden near Göttingen.
Similar chains are not known from the antiquity, said Grote. They are known as "Halsgeige" from the middle ages.
Also, a second pugio was found, seemingly a sacrifice.

The article in the Göttinger Tageblatt with a picture:
[url:2ve1ml9h]http://www.goettinger-tageblatt.de/newsroom/regional/dezentral/goettingenregio/art4264,682129[/url][/img]

[D B Campbell]

... a metal chain which fixes head and hands at the same time. ... Similar chains are not known from the antiquity, said Grote.

Interesting device. Of course, slave chains are known from Llyn Cerig Bach, but just for the neck I think. (Five necks at once, if I recall correctly!)