Posts: 960
Threads: 230
Joined: Apr 2007
Reputation:
75
Posts: 960
Threads: 230
Joined: Apr 2007
Reputation:
75
Dear fellow citizens --- THE END IS NEAR !!! :whistle:
The end of my , well ....... detailment ....
Part 3
Dr. Schallmayer then went on to discuss singular phenomenons linked both to the Odenwaldlimes and also his earlier works in that area a schief archeologist oft hat region. (Nordbaden/Governmental Department at Karlsruhe).
WP 10/15 „Im oberen Haspel“ / Vielbrunn
Dr. Schallmayer gave a short summary on the (archeological) background oft he reconstructed tower there as an example of a typical wooden watchtower at this part oft he Limes.
(More : See Siegbert Huther’s lecture above)
WP 10/22 „Am Vogelherdschlag/Heumatte Süd“ west of Mangelsbach
He then went on to detail findings about an atypcal watchtoer there, showing a gate at „ground-level“ rather than on the first floor as customary with other stone-towers along the Odenwald limes. This type of „access“ to a stone tower , however is quite common with stone towers along the raetian part oft he limes where the towers are integral part of the „devils wall“.
It should be mentioned here that this tower had been excavated well before
the times of the RLK by the local nobleman Franz zu Erbach-Eulbach, who transferred it into his park. Nevertheless these activities gave some idea oft he looks of such a tower as the building inscription was found along with traces of white plasterworks with red lines that the walls must have shown.
Later research in 1986 confirmed these findings as well as adding the other facts mentioned above.
WP 10/25 „Auf dem roten Buckel“: Kitchen outfit and food supply at a watchtower’s site
This site has been „re“-surveiled in 1975, showing a groundplane of 5.4 m squared ( pedes XVIII) with a wall thickness of between 0.8 and 0.9m, these consisted of well-hewn stones that were line with a „blind“ masonry to the outside that was „topped off“ with „pointed-up“ grooves. (?? =>Blendmauerwerk mit Fugenstrich !).
The inner floor at groundlevel consisted of commpressed earth well-preserved because the tower was destroyed by a fire.
This also preserved numerous fragments of kitchen equipment, also some metal parts and fragments of animals' bones showing that meat rations were not that scarce in those times.
Conservation of the bath at the Würzberg numerus-camp
This had to be reconstructed with quite some effort in 2009 because of the „geological“ shortcomings of this site.
On the Numeri Britonum along the Odenwaldlimes
It is assumed that these units were raised in the romanized areas of Britain towards the end of the 1st century AD and were transferred to Germania Superior as an entity. It was there when they got divided into smaller units.
If we are assuming 10 numerus camps garrisoned with Brittones simultaneously we arrive at a total number of 1600-2000 troopers there in the 2nd cetury AD. Obviously they were used to relieve the auxialiary units from guarding duties. This is demonstrated by the garrisoning of only 4 regular auxiliary units but 11 numerus units along the Odenwaldlimes from Obernburg/Wörth to Bad Wimpfen .
The numeri also seemed to have played a vital role in the refurbishing of the Odenwaldlimes „in stone“. Their inner structures are also shown by the ranks oft he officers assigned to them. Their commanders (preapositi) exclusively consisted of legionary centurions.
Detachements would have been led by centurii brittonum or ordinarii brittonum.
NCO’s would be called master-at-arms (?) „armorum custos“ , bodyguard „secutor“ , head of clerks (cornicularius),standard-bearer and paymaster (signifer et quaestor) and clerk (librarius). There was no regular cavalry, -- all units seem to have been „infanteristic“.
It is probable that in the course of the second half of the 2nd century AD were combined/united and transferred to other camps like Niederbieber, at this time being no more „ethnically specific“ units as they had been replenished with „local“ personel.
[Dr. Schallmayer cites : M.Reuter : Studien zu den numeri des Römischen Heeres in der Mittleren Kaiserzeit/ Studies on the numeri of the Roman Army in times of the High-Empire – Ber. RGK (=Reports of the Roman-German Commission); 80 , 1999, 359-569, spez./esp. 385-389 , but I faintly remember he had given other refererences , too.
I think he also mentioned one oft he Speidels – maybe I already mentioned this somewhere above]
New reasonings about the sanctuary at WP 10/37 „In der Schneidershecke“
(Rem.: Well , ahmmm ….. again ! :whistle: :whistle: ]
This site displays a wooden watchtower along with two stone towers.
While stone-tower A /having a groundplane of 6m squared) in general is quite typical for stonetowers along this stretch the eastern tower B shows some peculiarties compared to it. A stair has been built on his northern side,utilizing a part of a stone dedication to Jupiter in „secondary use“. The letters engraved here say that a detachment of the Cohors I Sequanorum Et Rauracorum equitata from the auxiliary camp at Oberscheidental had built a watchtower (burgus) while under the command of centurion Antonius Natalis from Leg XXII ( from Mainz).
Inside of this tower in the stone debris , sculptures of Mars, Victoria and Salus made from red sandstone have been found – decapitated. These were elaborate in the style of roman provincial arts of upper germany, housed in a building that additionally was decorated by a vaulted internal construction spanning 3 metres, decorated with stucco and coloured wall-paintings.
This building also sported a tiled roof, quite untypical fort he other stone-watchtowers along the Odenwaldlimes, which obviously hinted towards this building being a sanctuary.
The tiles were stamped by the LEGVIII Aug(Rem.; >Strassbourg) and the COHXXIV Voluntatiorum Civium Romanorum equitata (Rem.: >Benningen/Neckar). Since a fragment of the shield of that statue of Victoria showed up at Oberscheidental, it is presumed that this group of statue may have „moved in“ by the way oft hat auxiliary camp.
Significance and chronolgy of this place are being discussed.
Recently the following chronology has been suggested:
110/115AD: errection oft he wooden tower; 145/146AD building of tower A as watchtower. Stone-tower B must have been (re-?)built as a sanctuary (Rem.: The german text gives me no 100% clue as to the unambivalent meaning of it)in a time, when roman trrops had already been withdrawn from the Odenwaldlimes. This finding is based on the fact the the statue of Mars shows a sword-harnessing of the type originally common for camps after 180AD.
Thus this watchpoint is „reduced“ to an ordinary watchpoint with one stone-tower which substituted the earlert wooden-watchtower.
When building tower B this stone tower A served as a source fort he materials needed for Tower B.
The question what purpose tower B served and in what context he was built would be answered by closer scrutiny of the group of statues there.
The depiction of Mars is that of Mars Ultor (=> of Rome, Forum of August, dedicated to the revenge he successfully took at the murders of Julius Caesar) Salus and Victoria stand for the health and well-being of the Emperor and the State (Rem.: Schallmayer uses „Volk“ here which would translate as „nation“ or „people“ also) and also the invincibility of the Emperor. Thus they seem to express and to celebrate as well a military victorie oft he Emperor. Recent reasonings lead to the conclusion that it is Emperor Caracalla, who would be the peron „in question“.
This sanctuary could have been built on occasion of his victory over Germans („Alamannen“ – Rem.: This is under discussion !)in 213AD, which he gained in a campaign in front of both provinces Germania Superior and Raetia.
Research in the vicus of the numerus camp at Schlossau
While this had been touched by the lecture of Dr. Britta Rabold more extensively, there are a few lines that should be added here.
Most impressive was the execution oft he central road at Schlossau, which was 3-4m wide and substructed by a roster of square wooden beams.
The tiles from the earliest times oft he buildings around the camp bear the stamps of LEGXXII from Mainz.
Three different epochs of building/rebuilding can be separated clearly.
After the first epoch which ist o be attributed to the camps foundation a second epoch can be differentiated, which mainly consists of „stripe“-houses of ca. 9m width and over 20m length, showing a kind of verande towards the street and are divided by a passwas of 2m width. Their inner structure have been preserved only partially, showing a kind of standardisation as exemplified by the arrangement of their fireplaces. The stripe houses have already been
spotted for at least 100m distance east oft he vicus-road. A wooden house near the camps bath demonstrates that there also had been different sizes of ground-planes possible. In the third epoch this place was used for tile-ovens and installments for crop-drying.
Finds suggest that the structures found around this place may indicate the existence of a larger magazine there. This third epoch suggests that the area around the camp was still in use after the Limes was moved forward. The living places of the persons belonging to that era have not been found yet, finds in/around the camp suggest either that this area was used for living or that the numerus was still partially or as a whole stationed here, like it was suggested for the whereabouts oft he numerus stationed at Neckarburken.
Excavations in the vicus at the Neckarburken camp(s)
I‘d like to cut that short, as it merely deals with older excavations: The so-called schola, found in 1986, a ca. 22m x 10m large building with an apsis in ist western wall, built/re-built in 2 epochs, and the lime-kiln near the Porta Principalis dextra oft he auxiliary camp, found in 1991, which may point towards the „youngest“ epoch of this place.
Excavations at the area of the auxiliary camp, its vicus (Rem.: and the subsequent town at this place !) of Bad Wimpfen (Rem.: Part „Wimpfen im Tal/Wimpfen in the Valley, actually !)
I’d like to cut that short, too as very little relates to the actual topic.
Recent excavations could not confirm the findings oft he RLK as to the exact whereabouts oft he camp of Cohors I Germanorum Civium Romanorum (equitata ?). Since this unit later was garrisoned at Jagsthausen on the forward Limes, it is assumed that the earkier camp had the same size than the later – 2,9 ha.
Bad Wimpfen (im Tal/in the Valley) later became the main settlement oft he Civitas Alisinensium which was later surrounded by a city wall based on a foundation of 2,2m width. This measure of fortifiction had hitherto been dated to the end of the 2nd century AD, analogous to the dating of other comparable cities (Rem.: like Frankfurt-Heddernheim-Nida/Civitas Taunensium, Diieburg/Civitas Auderiensium, Ladenburg am Neckar/Lopodunum, Rottenburg am Neckar/Sumelocenna and most likely Faimingen an der Donau /Phoebiana . Nowadays it is assumed that this „building program“ was an answer to the germanic incursions of the 230s [or even the 220s!] a fact which I’ve already mentioned somewhere else in this forum. Dr. Schallmayer has contributed to this in:
E. Schallmayer: Ausgrabungen an der Stadtmauer des römischen Civitas-Hauptorts MED(…)/Dieburg/ Excavations at the city wall of the roman main settlement at Dieburg. HessenArchäologie 2007, 97-102. Dr. Rabold had also dated the city walls of Ladenburg into that time while presenting new finds at Ladenburg in September.
It seems that it is assumed that these walled cities were destined to act as a kind of Limes. --- Now we know what roman military did in Germany between Alexander Severus and Diocletian ?)
On the history and function oft he Odenwaldlimes
Dr. Schallmayer summed it up:
-The substitution of the Odenwaldlimes through the „forward“ ORL (Obergermanisch-Raetischer Limes)
did not take place „in one go“ – nor did it take place „in unison“
-This frontier was not intended as a linear defense system, nor could it serve as such system.
-Ist was (probaly) intenede as control system fort he movement of goods and persons into the roman empire
under the aspect of economy and taxation.
-It served as a line of communication against the area in front o fit, thus roman troops could be alarmed and react,
but against smaller incursions only. It also served as a base for reconnaisance oft he area in front of it.
Roman patrols acted rather in front of it, than behind it. If they did the latter, it might have already become too late.
-The times oft he Odenwaldlimes were rather peaceful, as opposed tot he (later) era oft he ORL, which faced
„turmoil“ from the very beginning. (Rem.: The Marcomannic wars to start with – although these were staged along the middle Danube, but they must have had effects on the provinces east of the Rhine. Dr. Schallmayer states here that the forward ORL had to be disbanded between 206/275 AD because of the assault oft he Alamanni.)
-The insriptions along the Odenwaldlimes do tell about the Legions, but only about individual persons of them here.
No evidence of legionary vexillations have been found so far.
-The garrissoning units have been changed through the years, but the size oft he units was retained.
-The course oft he limes was divided into sectors, which have been commandes by the prefects oft he cohorts.
(The commanding officer oft he auxilliary camp at Oberscheidental was also the highest in rank between the
Numerus camp at Lützelbach and the „camplet“ near Robern.)
The „commanding powers“ of the auxiliary prefect at Neckarburken surely started as far north as the „camplet“
near Trienz. This is exemplified by an inscription found there, which was set by one oft he units stationed at Neckarburken, the Numerus Brittonum Elantiesium.
The commanding officer oft he cohort stationed at Obernburg probaly commanded all units on the northern
Part (Rem.: That would be „down to“ near Lützelbach), while the commanding officer at Bad Wimpfen im Tal would have commanded the units towards south.
(Rem.: „The south“ is under discussion, as we've already learned above, right ?!)
An additional division of the parts of the limes into „watching sectors“ may have been dictated by the „lines of sight“ given by the topography, which is especially intellegible along the northern course of the Odenwaldlimes.
------
The last lecture was held by Dr. Dietwulf Baatz, former head oft he Saalburg-Museum and the Monument Authorities of Hassia ,the „doyen“ of modern Limes research in Germany.
It sums up all the lectures held at Michelstadt, including the ones of lesser interest to you.
It also extends over the scope oft he lectures as it is also dealing with the excursion to places along the Limes,which took place the day after the lecturing.
----- END-----
There you have it !!
Greez
Simplex
Siggi K.
Posts: 3,063
Threads: 218
Joined: Feb 2010
Reputation:
2
Thank you VERY much for translating all this and writing it up for us, Siggi. It's very much appreciated! Lots of intersting stuff in there.
Pleased to read this:
Nevertheless these activities gave some idea oft he looks of such a tower as the building inscription was found along with traces of white plasterworks with red lines that the walls must have shown.
Later research in 1986 confirmed these findings as well as adding the other facts mentioned above.
...since finding plaster on Harian's Wall at the excavation at West Denton in the late 1980s. No paint on our bits though, but an imprint left in the ground from the collapsed Wall to suggest a height of at least 8 feet. (If memory serves).
Moi Watson
Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, Merlot in one hand, Cigar in the other; body thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and screaming "WOO HOO, what a ride!
Posts: 15,116
Threads: 415
Joined: Mar 2002
Reputation:
76
Quote:There you have it !!
Your ability to either memorize this or write it down during the lectures amazes me. I wanted to report on a colloqium from early December but found that I could not possibly report on all the lectures in such detail.  ad:
Posts: 960
Threads: 230
Joined: Apr 2007
Reputation:
75
Having worked myself through the 2011-2014 volumes of "Archäologische Ausgrabungen in Baden-Württemberg" I think I should give you a short note on news as per 2013.
1.For the run south of the Kocher, it's been established now that it is counted as Part (Limesstrecke) 11.
Part 10 ends at the north-bank of the Kocher with Tower No. 76 being the last one.
So far 6 towers of Part 11 have been spotted by now.
2.The towers 75 ("Dermut") and 76 ("Scherer") had already been spotted by the Reichslimeskommission some 100 years ago. Verifying their exact location by magnetometic prospection after evaluating the aerial photographs brought along a couple of surprises:
a) ca. 160m south of the stone-tower of 11/75 already known a square of ca. 27m long sides showed up.
The small camp proved to be one of earth-and-wood-rampart with the gate facing away from the line of the limes palisade.
b) two further towers showed up -- the wooden predecessors of the stone tower.
c) the very spot there yields the best view southward in this area, so no wonder that there
is a continuity of watchtowers, the small camp beeing the oldest structure at this place and with
the location of the gate away from the limes this suggests that this camp may have only been used
during the building of that limes-course.
3. The tower 10/76 lies near the first one-third of the line that connects the 10/75 with the next small camp to the south at Duttenberg, still north of the Jagst. This one has suspected to be there somewhere as early as the times of the Reichslimeskommission. Actually it's ca. 100m off to the north and the remains of stone-cellars spotted by the RLK rather not belong to it but to a vicus that may have well survived the camp. Interestingly, the camp never was rebuilt in stone, although the finds suggest, that it may have used well beyond the renovation of the limes installations i stone around 145/145 AD.
No traces of internal building could be found, although the gate's tower could clearly be spotted.
The camp had a good line of sight to the first tower south of the Jagst ca. 700m away.(11/1)
4.After the Kocher, the course of the limes changed it's path by ca. 45° from ca S to ca SE.
It runs straight parallel to the orientation of the auxilliary camp at Kochendorf, south of the Kocher, with the course between Jagst and Kocher guarded by evenly-spaced towers 11/1 till 11/3.
5.The search for tower 11/4 yielded .....nothing ...at first.
(That did come as a surprise, at least to me, because I had thought that this was one of the two towers spotted in 1962 resp. in 1964. But the map attached clearly shows a question mark at "11/4".)
Further survey brought along more questions than it solved.
Instead of a tower the surveyors spotted a straight line characteristic for the trace of a limes palisade--- ca. 70m south(west) of the course of the palisade they had spotted in 2009.
To complicate matters even further the course of the trace altered its way both at the north-western AND the south eastern end of that line to ca. W on the NW end and to S on the SE end.
And NO tower still.
6.Further finds suggest a roman settlement at that very area.
The place is only 7km away from the finding spot of Neuenstadt a.K. , which is thought to be the main settlement of "Civitas Avrelia G...".
7.The tower 11/5 and its wooden-predecessor , however, turned out to be sited nearly as expected.
8.The course between towers 11/5 and 11/6 (of the eastern of the two lines !) changes again towards S , right in the middle of the run, after the Attichsbach.
Hope this helps.
Simplex
Siggi K.
|
