Scholarly colloqium on the rearward german limes

[Simplex]

Hi
.... some maps for sightseeing/clarification.
These are older maps, but the course of water, the placement of hills and settlements have basically stayed the same.
One exception worth noting though: "Plattenwald" , mentioned in Dr. Benders lecture about the (topographical) end of the Odenwaldlimes is in map 4 right between Bad Friedrichshall-Kochendorf and Neckarsulm-Amorbach. (Upper third to the right)
The course of the Odenwaldlimes is somewhere in the middle of maps 1 to 3.-- the fine double-line, broken at some points. Please do note that this is quite coarse a depiction and on top, the exact run of the limes is still under discussion somewhat.
Some watchtowers are mentioned (Römischer Wachturm), the forts/fortlets are also depicted as they have been known by the beginning of the 80s(The small rectangles with rounded edges)----most of them at the wrong places, some even on the wrong side of the limes. (If you want the exact locations, don't be afraid to ask, I'll see what I can do for you, then.)
The end of the Odenwaldlimes, as presumed in the early 80's is on map 3, where it hits the right bank of the Jagst immediately south of Duttenberg.
Map 4 and 5 show the other locations on both banks and possible points of confine as mentioned in Dr. Bender's lecture and my annotations.

Greez

Siggi

Seems that the maps did not survive the "migration" of RAT. I'll fix that later.

[Simplex]

Update -- Aftermath Pt. 1
While I'm still waiting for the papers of this Kolloquium to be published (as promised),
I ran into an "interim" by Dr. Stephan Bender in the recent "Archäology in Deutschland"
(That is 03-2011).
"Unser Bild vom Neckarlimes -- bald nur noch Geschichte / Our image of the Neckarlimes --
soon to be "history" ?"
First he gave a short introduction of the "older" developments in research of this part, as already mentioned above, then he took to a brief of the results of the surveys undertaken in 2009 and 2010 where he mentioned the remains of a wodden tower found near the foundations of the "1962" stone tower (which he already had mentioned in the colloquium), along with a further course of the limes palisades about 437m long. (which he had not mentioned IIRC). According to this two differently orientated (straight) courses of the limes met in the little valley of the Attichbach (further south), which ran roughly parallel to the river Neckar's course. The nortwesterly orientated part, coming from the river Jagst, is running southward in direction of the Hengelbach.
Further prospections between Jagst and Hengelbach are to be carried out to "close the gaps".
New findings and the revision of find already known have led to the belief that the course of the limes is running southward in front of the Neckar.
This case is most strongly supported by dendrochronological dating of wooden planks taken from wells at the Otmarsheimer Höhe (>Mundelsheim/Besigheim Ottmarsheim; Ludwigsburg County), 23 km south to the towers at Plattenwald.
They are dated to the eras of Hadrian (117-138) and Antoninus Pius (138-161).
This is further reinforced by massive finds of southern gallic Terra Sigillata usually attributed to the first half of 2nd Century AD, -- a civillian settlement was not to be expected that far east in those times, so there may be suspected a small camp and the vicus and came along with it is most likely, although clear traces of a camp have yet to be found. (This all has already been stated at Michelstadt)
Coming into this perspective is a location down the northern slope of the Wartberg near Heilbronn where a small building was traced in 1938 which looks suspiciously close to a bath-house of a small camp. (~12.5m long , ~4,8/8,5m wide, L-shaped, rooms arrayed sequentially).
To the east of it further roman finds were made when enlarging the Vogelsang waste-deposit in 1988 in which process all of the finds were buried under.
There was no opportunity to do further surveillances on this site then, so it has to be left undecided whether this was a civillian or a military installation.
Dr. Bender then goes on to muse about a possible course further south with Scheuerberg, Wartberg, Haigern and the Ottmarsheimer Höhe (As already mentioned above)as reference points, even extending down to Köngen, where it would have met the Lautertal Limes from the east. (The larger camps along the Neckar on its western bank would have served as
guards for the Neckar as a supply lines -- towers and small camps, most of them yet to be detected would have then guarded the frontier. I faintly recall that "Römer in Baden-Württemberg, 1st Ed. (1985/6) had a line speculating thet there "may have been a Limes Road runnning on the east bank" .... north of Benningen [or Bad Cannstatt ?] ---IIRC .)
So that's for now, and since we were promised a book on this Kolloqium with additional informations, rest assured that I will keep you informed further on.
The map included is not very contrastive to look at.


That's for now

Greez

Simplex

Maps & Pics added to my Photo Album.

[Simplex]

Update 2
Unfortunately I missed the press-conference held on Wed.,13th of July at Bad Friedrichshall.
The informations given to the public were presented by Prof. Dr. Claus Wolf, Dr. Klaus Kortüm and Dr. Stephan Bender. The latter two had also been present at the Limeskolloquium
in Michelstadt.
The essence:
Dr. Wolf gave a resumee stating that the new evidence attributed to the recent modern surveilance/evaluation techniques answered questions in limes research hitherto unsolved,
demonstrating predominantly that the roman frontiers in Baden-Würrtemberg had been developped and guarded more strongly from the onset than previously thought.
Dr Bender went into more details:
"Auf einer Gesamtstrecke von 4,5 Kilometern lässt sich nun der Verlauf des neuen Limes zwischen der Jagst und dem Attichsbach bei Plattenwald angeben.
(The course of the new limes can now be specified between the river Jagst and the Attichs-brook near Plattenwald for 4,5 kms.)Mehrfach wurde der Palisadengraben erfasst, also das Gräbchen, in dem das römische Militär die Holzpalisade aufgerichtet hatte.
(The palisades' trench, that is the trench in which the roman army errected the palisades, has been recorded repeatedly.) Die Palisade zog schnurgerade durch die Landschaft.(The palisades ran a perfectly straight course.)Auf der ersten Höhe südlich der Jagst wurden bei Jagstfeld in der Gewann „Hohe Äcker“ im Frühjahr ebenfalls bei geophysikalische Messungen ein Holz- und eine Steinturm entdeckt.
(On the first hill south of the Jagst, near Jagstfeld's "Hohe Äcker"-area [= "high fields"] both a wooden and a stone tower were detectected by geophysical surveillance this spring.) Es handelt sich um eine zweiphasige Turmstelle: Der Holzturm wurde nach wenigen Jahrzehnten durch einen Steinturm ersetzt.(It is a "two-phased" tower with the wooden tower substituted by a stone one after a few decades.) Von der Stelle hat man einen fantastischen Blick über den weiteren Limesverlauf nach Süden sowie zum rückwärtigen Kastellplatz Wimpfen im Tal. (This place gives a phantastic view over the further course of the limes souhtward and towards the rearward camp of Bad Wimpfen im Tal [ on the other bank of the river Neckar]) Weitere Türme folgten im Abstand von 500 bis 800 Meter, jeweils rund 2 km vom Ufer des Neckars entfernt auf den Höhenzügen gelegen. (More towers followed suite in distances between 500 and 800 m, each about 2 km from the river Neckar on higher grounds.) Der Neckarlimes war demnach keine offene Flussgrenze, sondern besaß eine intensiv überwachte Grenzwehr.
(The Neckarlimes therefore was no open "fluvial/river"-borders but rather a heavily guarded military frontier.) Nördlich der Jagst konnte zu unserer großen Überraschung im Mai dieses Jahres das seit 100 Jahren gesuchte Kleinkastell Duttenberg entdeckt werden.
(North of the river Jagst much to our surprise the small camp of Duttenberg, which has been suspected to exist in this area for 100 years now, was spotted in May.)
Es war aus der Luft in einem Getreidefeld sichtbar.
( It has been be spotted from the air in a corn-field.)
Die Anlage hat eine Größe von etwa 25 m x 30 m.
( The installation's size is about 25 x 30 m.)
Bei dem Kleinkastell stoßen der neue Limes und der aus dem Norden kommende Odenwaldlimes zusammen.
(It is near this place where the new limes and the Odenwaldlimes coming from the north join.)
Ein weiteres Kleinkastell konnte kürzlich bei Gundelsheim (-Tiefenbach) lokalisiert werden.
(Recently another small camp [like this] has also been spotted near Gundelsheim-Tiefenbach ) [When I was at the Limesaktionstag in June I was informed by our Limes-Guide
that this area already has been "under suspicion" already for some time.]
Kleinkastelle waren am südlichen Odenwaldlimes bisher völlig unbekannt.
(Small camps [I'd like to add: .... of this size ...!] have been hitherto unknown along the southern part of the Odenwaldimes.)
Ihre Lage bestätigt den angenommenen Verlauf dieses Grenzabschnittes.
(Their positions verify the course of this part of the frontier.)
Dieser ist im Prinzip schon lange bekannt, allerdings war er in letzter Zeit mehrfach in Frage gestellt worden.
( As a matter of principle, this has been known for a some time already, but has been questioned repeatedly during the last years.)“
The second part is a straight translation of the press-release as issued here_
http://www.rp.baden-wuerttemberg.de/serv...index.html
The excerpt from Archäologie-in-Deutschland i mentioned in the posting above is now available online ( > the maps !!!):
http://www.rp.baden-wuerttemberg.de/serv..._Limes.pdf
[In German only , but IMHO the pics tell a story, too] :wink:

Hope this helps

Greez & Goodnight

Simplex

[Simplex]

Update.
There have been more specific informations about the newly spotted roman camps south of Neckarburken.
According to "Archäologie In Deutschland, II/2012 p42...
-a small camp of about 25x30m had been spotted by Otto Braasch in May 2011.
It is sited near Duttenberg north of the (nearby) river Kocher.
It has been suspeceted there before, as finds were surveilled by the Reichs-Limeskommission some 100 years ago.
The early finds, however, have to attributed to a small vicus of that camp rather than the camp itself.
-another camp has been spotted ( as a square structure) by LIDAR-scanning in 2010 near Gundelsheim (Seelbacher Wald) on location of suspected watchtower 10/69.
As the prospections in April of 2011 showed it is a structure of roughly 30x40 m directly north the Lerchenweg at a place that was subjected to agricultural use in older times but that is now "in the woods".
Till more news do surface

Greez

Simplex

(I still do have maps of the "rearward" limes included in my photographs on this here website)

[Simplex]

On occasion of my visit at the Osterburken limes museum, I had a short conversation with
Dr. Jörg Scheuerbrandt in which I touched the subject of the publishing of the lectures that were held at Michelstadt. Since there has been a recent deadline, there is "concrete"
hope that it won't take that long anymore. (That is, being published with the Saalburg
Schriften or so. :wink: )
Hopefully more news next time.

Greez

Simplex

[Vindex]

Thank you for your latest update, its also given me an opportunity to read a thread I had completely missed up to now!! hock:

Thank you for your time and effort - it is much appreciated.

[D B Campbell]

... I touched the subject of the publishing of the lectures that were held at Michelstadt.

You have only waited two years, Siggi. In archaeological terms, this is a short time! :wink: I am still waiting to see the publication of a conference held in Valencia in October 2005!

[Simplex]

Hi Duncan,

In archaeological terms, this is a short time!

Of course, Duncan, of course !! 8)
This reminds me of a conversation which I had with two volunteers/cicerones at the Osterburken Museum.
We talked about the collection of tiles the museum had possessed.
The "Archives" of the Landesmuseum at Rastatt had finally all taken them, recently, -- after 5 years between "announcement" and "execution" . :roll:
Well,-- and Dr. Siegbert Huther's doctorate theses ( on roman woodworking at the Osterburken beneficiarian sanctuary [= Benefiziarier Weihebezirk]) also seems to be "on its way out", according to Dr. Scheuerbrandt. I'm really C-U-R-I-O-U-S about that one since one of my closest friends is a carpenter's master.
I'll be keeping you update as fast as possible.

Greez , yours ever impatient

Simplex

[Simplex]

Good News.
The "colloquial digest" will be presented on Tuesday, Oct. 9th, 2012, 11.00 MEZ at the Vielbrunn (D)Roman Tower (reconstruction) aka WP (Watchingpoint) 10/15
People interested should apply via [email protected].
This issue is to contain additional newer informations as compared to the contents of the lectures given 2 1/2 years ago.
Watch this space for more news and a review. ;-)

Greez

Simplex

I should have added : "....as time allows for it !" :oops:

[Simplex]

I will post the review here in "loose order" starting today.

Part 1:
Overview
I finally acquired the book(let)from the IGI directly.
Asking price was 14,95 € postage included.
Full title:
Egon Schallmayer (Herausgeber/Editor) : Der Odenwaldlimes - Neueste Forschungsergebnisse/
The Odenwald-Limes/ Latest Research
Beiträge zum wissenschaftlichen Kolloquium am 19.März 2010 in Michelstadt/
Contributions to the scholarly Kolloquium held at Michelstadt on March, 19th, 2010.
Saalburg-Schriften/-Publications Band/Volume 8, 2012; Bad Homburg v.d.H. ,2012
144 Seiten/pages; 83 Abbildungen/Pictures
Inhalt/Contents:
Vorwort/Preface 7
Der Odenwaldlimes - Eine Einführung in das Thema des Tages 9
The Odenwaldlimes - An introdution to the "Topic of the Day"
Dr. C. Sebastian Sommer (Bayerisches Landesamt für Denkmalspflege, München/Bavarian Office for the Preservation of Monuments, Monaco de Bavaria :wink: )
Feldforschung ohne Spaten - Zerstörungsfreie Prospektion am Odenwaldlimes/ Field Research without a spade - Destruction-free Prospection along the Odenwald-Limes 11
Dr. Holger Göldner ( Landesamt für Denkmalpflege Hessen, Archäologie und Paläontologie, Darmstadt/ Hassian Office for the Preservation of Monuments, Department of Archeology and Paläontology, Darmstadt)
Überlegungen zur taktischen Gliederung des Odenwaldlimes/Considerations about the tactical
displacement/grouping of the Odenwaldlimes 19
Thomas Becker, M.A. (Landesamt für Denkmalpflege Hessen, Archäologie und Paläontologie, Wiesbaden-Biebrich/Hassian Office for the Preservation of Monuments, Department of Archeology and Paläontology,Wiesbaden-Biebrich)
Zur Steinbauphase des Odenwaldlimes - Das Bauprogramm von 145/146 AD/
On the era of stone structures at the Odenwaldlimes -- The "building programme" of 145/146 AD 33
Dr. Jörg Scheuerbrandt (Römermuseum Osterburken/Kreisarchäologe Neckar-Odenwaldkreis/ Roman Museum Osterburken/ District Archeologist of Neckar-Odenwald county)
Wo endet der Odenwaldlimes am Neckar ? / On the (possible) termination of the Odenwaldlimes at river Neckar. 37
Dr. Stephan Bender (Limesinformationszentrum Baden-Würrtemberg, Aalen/ Limes Information Center
Baden-Würrtemberg, Aalen)
Neue Forschungen am mittleren Odenwaldlimes - Acht Jahre Ausgrabungen im Kastellvicus Schlossau/ Latest Research at the central Odenwald limes - Eight years of excavations in the
vicus at Schlossau. 49
Dr. Britta Rabold (Regierungspräsidium Karlsruhe - Denkmalspflege/ Governing presidium of Karlsruhe - Preservation of Monuments)
Historische Konservierungsstrategien am Odenwaldlimes / On the History of Preservation of the Odenwald-Limes. 63
Renate Schiwall M.A. München
Rekonstruktionen hölzerner Limeswachttürme am Beispiel von WP (=Wachtpunkt/Watch point)10/15 ,
Michelstadt-Vielbrunn und WP 12/77 Rainau-Schwabsberg / On the reconstruction of wooden watchtowers on the limes as exemplified by WP 10/15 Michelstadt-Vielbrunn and WP 12/77 Rainau-Schwabsberg. 77
Dr.des.Dipl.Ing.Siegbert Huther, Rödermark
Der Odenwaldlimes unter touristischen Gesichtspunkten/ The Odenwaldlimes in the light of tourism. 95
Kornelia Brauer ( Tourismus Gmbh, Michelstadt / Tourism Ltd., Michelstadt)
Der Odenwaldlimes - ein Bodendenkmal in romantischer Landschaft/ The Odenwaldlimes --
a monument inside a romantic landscape. 99
Dr. Egon Schallmayer (Landesamt für Denkmalpflege Hessen, Archäologie und Paläontologie, Wiesbaden-Biebrich/Hassian Office for the Preservation of Monuments, Department of Archeology and Paläontology,Wiesbaden-Biebrich)
Odenwaldlimes Kolloquium am 19. März 201O - Zusammenfassung / The Kolloqium on the Odenwal-Limes March 19th, 2010 -- A Summary 137
Dr. Dieter Planck (Stuttgart , Ehemaliger Leiter des Landesamts für Denkmalpflege Baden-Würrtemberg/ Former head of the Office of Preservation of Monuments Baden-Würrtemberg)
Autorenverzeichnis / List of contributors 144
------------------------
One thing in beforehand:
No news on the small camps found south of Neckarburken (Tiefenbach/Gundelsheim).
I was severely disappointed first, but after all they were not dealt with in the Kolloqium, so why should they be mentioned in that "update" on the kolloqium, strictly spoken.
What is in "there" -- additions and updates of the lectures held, more or less, maybe according to the time that had been available to the authors since then.
Most notably -- the pictures, tables and graphs that are included shed a better light on what
was intended as information. Some were really clarifying, at least informative, fortunately
no pic left further questions -- at least to my understanding.
So , my verdict : Better buy that one if you understand German and are intersted in the topic --
the touristical "noise" nonwithstanding. :wink:
Renate :mrgreen: Schiwalls lecture as well as Kornelia Brauers fall outside the scope of interest of this forum, Dr. Schallmayers , although you may suspect that, definitely not.
He has a very intersting way of mixing "art" and "life" , so to speak.

END of Part 1

Simplex

[Simplex]

Stage set for round 2 (O.K.-- the books are piling up in the background ;-)
The first interesting lines are from Dr. Holger Göldner, giving an overview over the recent prospections at the Odenwald-Limes (as per 2010!). The pics and tables included give a lot more informations and details, as they are literally „in front of your nose“ and rather than 50 foot away as at the Kolloquium.
As for the text – no news as far as I can see/remember.
A few minor points of criticism however in retrospect :
He gives the date of installations oft he limes with 110 AD, whereas „ruling opinion“ seems tob e more like „110/115 AD“. As the termination point of the Odenwaldlimes he gives Bad Wimpfen, which may give cause to misinterpretations in the light of newer research and the accompanying map 1 which shows
a further course of the limes south of Kochendorf on the other bank of river Neckar.
Let’s call it „Neckar-Limes“ from then on, right ?! ;-))
Another flaw is appearing in pic 6 where the stages oft he development of the limes are detailed.
The watchtowers in stage 3 (ca. 145/146 AD) are still showing an external gallery as opposed to
newer research.
Next up is Thomas Becker (MA)with reflection on the tactical arrangement along the Odenwaldlimes.
This was the time when I had serious trouble following the statements at the Kolloquium fort he first time.
The pics and the footnotes help quite a bit with my understanding of the matters here.
In short: the chains of command are changing at/around Schlossau – right in the middle of the course
of the Odenwald limes. This is manifested by the execution of build among the watchtowers, the building inscriptions, the tile-stamps and last but not least the way the course oft he limes was layn-out: following the topography in the north and a straight run towards the south from Schlossau.
The building inscriptions give the names of units involved, the tile stamps give the „legionary backbones“ involved : the 22. Legion from Mainz to the north and the 8.Legion from Strassbourg, with a bit of uncertainty around Schlossau, as a tile of LEGVIII from Schlossau is from a dubious find/relation whereas stamps of Legio XXII were found further southward at Oberscheidental (ca. 7 km).
Becker had already published similar reflections on the Obergermanisch-Raetischer Limes as far back as 2004. Another interesting essay on similar findings about the sizes of the watchtowers there is to be published in Roman Frontier Studies XXI (Newcastle-On-Tyne).
The references given are also quite interesting. As far as I’m concerned I’d consider:
M. Reuter , Studien zu den Numeri des Römischen Heeres in der mittleren Kaiserzeit – Studies on the Numeri of the Roman Army during the High Empire. (Ber. RGK80, 1999, 357-569) and
C.-M. Hüssen, Die römische Besiedlung im Umland von Heilbronn. Roman population around Heilbronn. Forschungen und Berichte zur Vor- und Frühgeschichte In Baden-Württemberg 78 (Stuttgart 2000) as „interesting reads“. The Hüssen-paper will also be dealt with later on. (> Dr. Stephan Bender)
The next essay by Dr. Jörg Scheuerbrandt first came as a kind of a disappointment to me, as it is one of the shorter essay in the books. But, let’s face it, it’s been boiled down to the real essential, avoiding „doublettes“ with the other essays.
In short: the re-building of the Odenwaldlimes limes in stone took place 145/146AD, in a year the was a special one for the Antonine dynasty: Marc Aurel and Antoninus Pius enjoyed a joint consulship and Marc Aurel finally got married with faustina II, daughter of Antoninus Pius. Dr. Scheuerbrandt also took a second „line of proof“ for the exact dating by elaborating a scheme of reinforcement of roman limites that went on to new building-stages, while the frontier was temporarily deprived of some of its garrisons for dealing with hot-spots in other parts of the empire.
(e.g. 119/120AD: war in Brittania with vexillations of theLEG VIII and XXII – istallation oft he palisade along the Odenwaldlimes; ca. 157-160: even more (?) vexillations from Germania superior, the Antonine wall abandone,the Hadrians wall reinstated, while the course oft he limes was moved tot he east, yes and in 145AD: war in northern Africa with vexillations from LEG XXII.)
Of the references I do find : P.Bidwell/N.Dodgson, The Roman Army in Northern England (2009) especially elusive.
Next on was Dr. Stephan Benders reasoning about the terminations of the Odenwaldlimes at the Neckar, a problem which has been under discussion as early as 1982 , when IIRC Dieter Planck reasoned about a possible course of the limes road along the river Neckar on the right bank as far down as Bad Cannstadt.
Die Römer in Baden-Württemberg, 2nd Edition).
Another „landmark“ publication given was
Dr. C. Sebastians Sommers reasoning „Recent developments in south-western Germany (Eastern Germania Superior-western Reatia)“ in :
Freeman/Bennett/Flema/Hoffmann (ed.): Limes XVIII. Proceedings oft he XVIIth International Congress of Roman frontier Studies (Amman, Jordan 2000/ BAR Internat.Series 1084; Oxford 2002) esp. p443, pic4.
As with the essays before, the depictions do a lot for understanding this matter.
One of the maps, however had already been published in "Archäologie in Deutschland" last year.
(I think this has already been mentioned above!)
As a compensation, an updated map of the presumed courseof the Odenwaldlimes around Bad Friedrichshall was included.
At first I was a bit disappointed that Dr. Bender did not mention the new-found small camps along the Odenwaldlimes, but this was not included in the original script nor was the title of this lecture referring to that.
END OF PART II

Greez

Simplex

[D B Campbell]

Of the references I do find : P.Bidwell/N.Dodgson, The Roman Army in Northern England (2009) especially elusive.

P. Bidwell & N. Hodgson, The Roman Army in Northern England (Arbeia Society, 2009) is a specially printed hardback to accompany the XXI Limeskongress (Newcastle-upon Tyne, 2009).

[Simplex]

Part 3.
Britta Rabold. Recent research on the middle part oft he Odenwaldlimes.
(That is: mostly camp and vicus at Schlossau, excavations in the course of nearly 8 years)
Here we have the second largest part of this book. And rightfully so.
Research after the Kolloquium has been included till end 2010.
In short:
1) Some of the „ground-antiquities“ in some areas at Schlossau are still in danger of being
eradicated by contemporary use,and although the areas in question have been put under „excavation area“-state,the „ground-sources“ have taken damage by even the slightest use for farming, as witnessed by the state of Schlossau’s camps dwindling „traces“. And this problem is spreading to other areas at Schlossau slowly but surely.
2)The building structures found have „grown larger“ still. Out of 3 different „phases“, the last one is nothing short of monumental, given the era and place of build. The central (market-forum ?) building measures 50m front and 45m deep – and still counting there.
The average „housing unit“ measures ca. 12m wide and ca. 20m deep.
The vicus is situated on both sides of the street running to the southern gate of the camp.
Since its limits to the east are defined by the (presumed) course of the limes-palisade and to the west by a descent, it will not have stretched further on to both sides. Also it will not have stretched beyond the camp’s bathhouse towards north. The exact stretch towards south is not known yet, but since a small funeral monument had already been found not too far away from that recent finds it is suspected the buildings may end there as it might mark the beginning of a cemetery.
3) The exact course of the Limes-palisade has still not been found, but the hints towards a course under the „modern“ Römerstrasse are quite clear – no news here.
4)O.K. -- and here we have the ubiquitiuos WP 10/37 again – that one with the two watchtowers, later being utilized as a sanctuary. As it also had „its own“ little vicus nearby, it seems to have had some „status“ in this area,even after the limes was moved forward.
(See also above for the dedications of military involved in building/manning the „forward“ limes)
That place is therefore kept „under monument status“ with a part-restoration oft he whole ensemble , not an easy task given the damage earlier excavations and restorative attempts have done to that place.
Next on is another oft he larger essays in that booklet: Siegbert Huthers lecture on building a replica of a wooden limes-watchtower as exemplified by WP 10/15, Michelstadt-Vielbrunn (not too far from the colloquial location)and WP 12/77 Rainau-Schwabsberg on the Obergermanisch-Rätische Limes.
I will not detail Siegbert Huthers lecture again here.
In short:
The pictures and maps included are very instructive and clear and do away with all possible misunderstandings „on the topic“ from my side and probably from all other persons.
It is a pity that his doctorate papers on roman woodworking as exemplified by the Osterburken sanctuary are STILL NOT available to the public.
The Odenwaldlimes under touristical aspects does not need to be dealt with here.
Finally, Dr. Egon Schallmayer „rounded it all up“ in his lecture (see part 4) – the largest one in the booklet
END of Part 3.

Greez

Simplex

The unit at Schlossau was the Numerus Brittonum Triputensium, later stationed at Miltenberg/Ostkastell on tha river Main.

[Simplex]

Dr. Schallmayers lecture, although not the last one of this event surely is the largest one.
Both, as it was held at Michelstadt and also in its „written“ form. It’s therefore divided into 2 parts.
I think we can skip the lines on the historical development of the research on the Odenwaldlimes and go straight to the first section of part 1:
The (exact) dating oft he beginning of the Odenwaldimes.
In short: the opinions have developped from „after Domitian“/90-95 AD to „about 110AD“/110-115AD through the years, party fuelled by discussions about the(correct) dating of the „late gallic sigillata“ by Dr. Barbara Pferdehirt (and her critics)or the sttistic assessment of coinage along the single parts of the Limes (=Limesstrecken) by Dr. Klaus Kortüm.
Dr. Schallmeier sums up:…..out of both historical reasoning and archeological disclosures through e.g. „stratified“ coinage it suggests the abandoning of the rearward camps (= rearward to the Main-/Odenwald-/Neckar-/Alb-/Donau-line that is !!) in the era between 103 and 111 AD.
The abandonment oft he Odenwald-Limes.
In short: The approach has been different, but the outcome did not vary too much in the outcome.
Fabricius was the first one who came up with the „arithmetic mean“ (O.K. let’s call it so ?!)between dated inscriptions at Heilbronn-Böckingen (>Neckar) and Jagsthausen (Obergermanischer Limes). Geza Alföldy even singled out one Gaius Popilius Carus Pedo, who was both „legatus pro praetore“ of Germania Superior and „et exercitus in ea tendentis“ ( ~kept the army there), in effect superior commander of the army in that province.
It was during his time there (> „after 150AD“,most likely between 152 and 155 AD -- roughly dated from clues out of inscriptions about/from Pedo in Asia --- they call this „epigraphics“, folks!)when the forward move was not only possible but very likely.
Now an inscription from Neckarburken (numerus camp –dedication to fortuna at the camps bath by
the commanding centurio of that unit—Numerus Brittonum Elantiensium) „popped up“, creating confusion about the right dating oft he forward move.
(The annex-camp at Osterburken was not built before 185AD !) Later research on the numerus units‘ whereabouts and clues from the research of the Osterburken sanctuary and finds from parts of the Odenwaldlimes suggest that „watch may have been upheld“ beyond mid-2nd century AD – dating by dendrochronology at the bath of the auxiliary camp at Osterburken to 164AD nonwithstanding.
Schallmayer made it clear that dendrochronological dates from 159/160 AD and later do not stringently exclude an earlier „move forward“, since building activities on the forward line have to be accepted as possible up to the fall of the limes.
Next on were reflections on the beginning oft he course of the Odenwaldlimes.
Schallmayer still does consider this still to be „open“.
For several reasons:
-the numerus-camp at Seckmauern seems not to have prevailed for too long, the „late“ dating of the numerus-camp at Wörth is constituted by the absence of „early pottery“.
-This is also „underlined“ by the fact that there dedications of members of other units than the local cohors sequanorum et rauracorum equitata have also been found there (= numerus brittonum [nemaningensium) und eploratores Nemaningenses) and last but not least by the fact that traces of a possible second (older ?)camp at Obernburg have also been found. This is further reinforced by the finding that the „traditional clues“ about the first two sites of watchtowers along a possible course of the limes south of Obernburg are clearly questionable as Schallmayer shows further on.
This still leaves Obernburg as „head-station“ oft he northern part of the Odenwaldlimes, the futher course of the limes southward nonwithstanding.
Schallmayer then goes on towards the question of the end oft he course of the Neckar-limes.
He refers to his recent book on the Odenwaldlimes , and after recurring to the --at least partially, new-found watchtower sites in and around Bad Fridrichshall ,giving a „dendro-date“ of 136AD for a well at the Ottmarsheimer Höhe as a „stepping-stone“ for a possible further run south for the Limes-palisade on the eastern bank of river Neckar up to opposite Walheim.
He still still not convinced whether this was only partial in some places or for the whole run oft he course--even further south up to Köngen where it could connect to the Lauter-valley Limes. In that case we should have a new section of the Limes – „Strecke“ 11, starting on the southern/left bank of river Jagst.
Towards the end Schallmayer deals with single „Phenomena“ of the Odenwaldlimes.
First, the question whether a double line of traces along the course at Oberscheidental, as shown in aerial reconnaisance, means the use of „ditch ‚n rampart“ as use in later stages of development oft he forward limes rather than a single trench for the palisades as was customary along the Odenwaldlimes.
Closer inspection nonwithstanding he presumes that this also could be a sign of building a second line of palisades before/behind the older palisades as a substitutions for these after they went rotten. (After ca. 25 years ?)
He then went on to give an overview over geophysical prospection along the Odenwaldlimes (Rem.: in 2010 still running, by now it should be finished – so expect more results.)
Wörth:
The layout oft he courtain walls follow the example of the other numerus camps of Phase B oft he Odenwaldlimes,the pricipia build in stone for ist southeastern part only, the rest oft he rooms probably consisting of earth-n-wood framework. The praetentura shows at least one barrack, like a double barrack divided by a middle passway, to its right a fabrica – all in wood-n-earth framework. The structures showing right oft he principia may belong to the praetorium, while in the rententura (=the „rear“ part oft he camp) buildings for special purposes and even stbales
may be taken into consideration. An internal structure (angle) of walls in the northern corner oft he camp may hint a reduction of space at later times. To both sides of the road running north towards the camp at Obernburg (out of the porta principalis sinistra)the usual vicus with „stripe“ house is being found. The road out of the Porta Praetoria towards river Main lead to structures which could be attributed to a harbour.
Lützelbach:
Although the Reichslimeskommission had already bemourned the ruinous state of this place as early as in 1895, the remains oft he camp are still preserved as high as 3m from the ground. While preserveing the remains oft he camp,advantage was taken in surveiling the bath 30m in front of the camps north-western corner, visible by an elevation of the ground by ca. 1,50m.
The data acquired here suggest that the walls may still be preserved as high a „man’s size“.
The bath is complying with the usual groundplan-layout oft he other numerus camps along the Odenwaldlimes. („Reihen-typ“). Further structures parallel to that bath indicate remains of the accompanying vicus.
Würzberg:
As opposed to former excavations in 1963, which showed part of the curtain wall,the geophysical prospection in 2005 showed clear signs of internal buildings,likely contubernia built in earth-n-wood framework. While the prospection gave no clues as to whether a vicus was there or not, pottery strayfinds southeast of the bath seem to indicate the first. Finds from the damage done by hurricane Wiebcke in 2000 also seem to indicate „cultural strata“ there.
Schlossau:
First geophysical prospections in 2003 had the camp located exactly. Further prospections of this kind gave a groundplane oft he camp as far as it was accessible. This was stretched towards the east to gain a clearer overview about the possible eastern confines of the vicus.
The ditch of the camp is now clearly visible, especially along the western and southwestern front, where it is interrupted for the rearward „gatelet“. The porta pretoria (the eastern gate in that case) is also clearly visible, also the postholes of internal buildings behind an internal rampart or circular road (via sagularis). The accomnpanying path shows itself by strong anomalies. West oft he camp geographical structures are displayed firsthand, the camps ditch invisible in that area, which is owed tot he facto f strong erosion here.
The „mystery“ oft he course of the Odenwaldlimes at this place was only partially solved, the short run detected suggests by its orientation that the limes must have changed its course already north of the camp.
End Of Part 1----

Greez

Simplex

[Simplex]

O.K. I promised : No faulty translations in 2012 anymore.
But here we are in 2013. :wink:

So --- eat this !!! :woot:

Part 2:
Watchtowers:
WP 10/5 (= the fifth tower on stretch No.10 – the Odenwaldlimes) „Auf der Seckmaurer Höhe“
First surveyed in 1883, square (stone-)walls of 6,8m lenght, confirmed in 2007. No traces of surrounding trench.
No wooden predecessor found as yet.
WP 10/6 „Im Hannsbatzenfeld“
First surveys of the RLK (Reichslimeskommission) „interpolated“ two towers because oft he lengthy stretch between WP 10/5 and 10/7. In 2004 topographical survey gave the rough „whereabout“ of WP 10/6 which got accurately confirmed by geophysical survey in 2007, situated a tiny bit more southwesterly than previously thought.
In all 2 traces of trenches around different wooden towers and a succeeding stone tower were spotted.A short run of the limes-palisades was also detected around there.
WP 10/7 „Im Hoffeld“
This tower-site had already been excavated. Geomagnetic prospection confirmed one wooden-tower (Rem.: by its surrounding trench as in most cases, in that case of ca. 17m diameter) and a stone tower nearby.
An array of lighter pixels east of both towers may indicated the course of the palisades.
WP 10/15 „Im Oberen Haspel“
The surroundings of this spot were surveyed in 2009. Other than the place oft he wooden towers, which has been known earlier, no other clear traces have been found as yet.
WP 10/16 „Bei Vielbrunn“
(Rem.: Yes, that’s the one that got reconstructed as a wooden-tower right there, as dealt with more extensively in Siegbert Huther’s paper)
Excavations of two small knolls there situated close to each other led to lots of stone-finds but no clear ground-planes.
In 2009 that place could be spotted right in the angle of a crossroad (=> L3318/L3349).
The geomagnetic prospection showed two (successive)wooden and one stone-tower, at one time
surrounded by a fence.
Rem.: It is not completely clear if this relates to both wooden AND the stone-tower as well)
In consequence this place demonstrates the typical situational and temporal order of other WPs along the Odenwald-limes. That spot showed up equally well in the LIDAR-scan.
This station served to guard an old passway from the Mümling-valley near Bad König towards Vielbrunn and on down to river Main.
WP10/23 „Römerburg/Auf der Höhe 535.5“ and
WP10/24 „Körber’s Haag/Im Würzburger Feld“
Geophysical prospection in 2010 yielded no results at both places.
WP 10/38 „Am Rotkreuz“.
The last post before the Schlossau camp. Discovered by the RLK, with traces of stone masonry, but no trace of a wooden predecessor was spotted. The description of this survey (Rem.: That the RLK gave!) however, was faulty, so the place first could not be spotted again.
The geophysical surveys at and around Schlossau (during the recent years) led to the discovery of a round entrenchment first, which could not be attributed to a watchtower-site clearly enough.
A new survey in 2009 then , a little further up north at the place of a small knoll, although finished early because of bad weather, yielded results more revealing, however.
So WP10/38 has been located again.
Airborne Laserscanning
The Odenwaldlimes has been completely evaluated by Airborne Laserscanning by now.
Referencing this to GPS data enables following the course of the Limes more precisely, amending, adding to and sometimes correcting earlier surveillance.
This is of great importance to the research on this part of the Limes,because as opposed to the forward part of the ORL, there is no „trench and dike“ or wall here – just the course of the Limes-road or the palisades. This is especially visible in forrestal areas as opposed to agricultural or settlement areas, where erosion may already have taken ist toll, erasing most of or all of the traces.
The recognition of encampments, even when hardly visible „by the naked eye“ also greatly benefits from Airborne Laserscanning.
Defining the sectors of control along the Odenwaldlimes
The encampments along the northern part (Rem.: Up to Schlossau, that is !) typically comprised of the 0,6ha- sized „numerus-camps“. With a couple of even smaller camps/camplets, obviously placed at topographically special (= „unsightly“) spots and assuming that their placement was necessitated by the shortest and clearest „line of sight“, there is a clear assignment oft he camps to each other, the commanding officer of the „central“ numerus-camp or „camplet“ being the „commanding officer“ of the section.
Sector I :
Start of the Limes at river Main to WP 10/5 with numerus camp Wörth at the Main.
Sector II:
WP 10/6 to WP 10/8 with numerus camp Lützelbach
Sector III
WP 10/9 to WP 10/11 with the „camplet“ Windlücke
Sector IV
WP 10/12 to WP 10/16 with the numerus-camp Hainhaus
Sector V
WP 10/17 to WP 10/24 with the numerus-camp at Eulbach
Sector VI
WP 10/25 to WP 10/28 with the numerus-camp at Würzberg
Sector VII
WP 10/29 to WP 10/32 with the numerus-camp at Hesselbach
Sector VIII
WP 10/33 to WP 10/34 with the „camplet“ Zwing
Sector IX
WP 10/35 to WP 10/37 with the „camplet“ Seitzenbuche
Sector X
WP 10/38 to WP 10/40 with the numerus-camp at Schlossau

The distribution of camps along the souther part of the Odenwaldlimes may have worked after the same principles, with some unknown encampment places suspected (Rem.: south of Neckarburken, that is, where two new places of „camplets“ had been spotted near Tiefenbach and Gundelsheim around the time, when this Kolloquium was being held, one of them obviously covering „unsightly“ area),two cohort camps included here where wider spaces demanded it and the camplets at Robern and Trienz added in brook-valleys(Rem. Out of the „direct“ line of sight)to provide cover there. It is presumed thet the neighbouring numeri provided the troops for the smaller „camplets“.

End of Part 2 ---

Next part as time allows for.

Greez

Simplex