04-13-2014, 01:38 PM
So, I'm back .... I involuntarily feel asleep while typing an answer last night. I'm getting old.
Back to the subject : Mogontiacum.
Although lots of excavations and research has taken place during the last 15-20 years one of the largest roman settlements north of the Alps still remains shamefully unexplored. (Remark: Amongst other causes: partly out of financial funding, partly because the area is densely filled with buildings and installations)
That's what my impression is after reading most parts of Alexander Heising's book on the later roman walls around Mainz (2 phases) and parts of Zakmira Vol.8 on the Crisis of the 3rd Century and the Imperium Galliarum. While research has brought a bit of clarification on the naval/harbouring environment at Mainz and its vicinity, on the course of the "city" walls and one or two sanctuaries at downtown Mainz, large portions of the public buildings to be expected in a roman town of that size and importance have not been spotted yet.
The palace of the local governor of Germania Superior e.g. has still remained subject of guess-works as has the forum and other buildings of importance in roman cities.
There are also do remain a coupe"white spots" in the military history of the the settlement, too. (IIRC Moguntiacum has never been a city as per Roman Law-- as opposed to Cologne and Trevers)
Apart from the Legionary Fortress on the Kästrich and the Legionary camp at Mainz-Weisenau ,which have undergone thourough research in the times of the Reichs-Limeskommission and even earlier, little seems to be known of military installations in downtown Mainz predating those camps,but which must have existed according to small-finds. The same goes for military installations which have succeded the garrison of the legionary camp after its abandonment and subsequent demolition.
It is presumed that they were sited just behind the "new" cross-ramp on the Kästrich. But also a lot of guessworks here.
The last few years have seen a lot of "makeshift" and "exigent" excavations in the course of new building projects.
And because there has been comparatively few research they do yield "surprising" new insights on the roman Mogontiacum -- and they surely will continue to do so in the future.
That I would bet on for sure !
(Still not completely awake-- as the typos may show)
Greez
Siggi
If anybody is interested: I've begun a small collection of german headlines on the more prominent roman finds in Mainz during the last 2 years,-- I'll mail that to him/her.
Back to the subject : Mogontiacum.
Although lots of excavations and research has taken place during the last 15-20 years one of the largest roman settlements north of the Alps still remains shamefully unexplored. (Remark: Amongst other causes: partly out of financial funding, partly because the area is densely filled with buildings and installations)
That's what my impression is after reading most parts of Alexander Heising's book on the later roman walls around Mainz (2 phases) and parts of Zakmira Vol.8 on the Crisis of the 3rd Century and the Imperium Galliarum. While research has brought a bit of clarification on the naval/harbouring environment at Mainz and its vicinity, on the course of the "city" walls and one or two sanctuaries at downtown Mainz, large portions of the public buildings to be expected in a roman town of that size and importance have not been spotted yet.
The palace of the local governor of Germania Superior e.g. has still remained subject of guess-works as has the forum and other buildings of importance in roman cities.
There are also do remain a coupe"white spots" in the military history of the the settlement, too. (IIRC Moguntiacum has never been a city as per Roman Law-- as opposed to Cologne and Trevers)
Apart from the Legionary Fortress on the Kästrich and the Legionary camp at Mainz-Weisenau ,which have undergone thourough research in the times of the Reichs-Limeskommission and even earlier, little seems to be known of military installations in downtown Mainz predating those camps,but which must have existed according to small-finds. The same goes for military installations which have succeded the garrison of the legionary camp after its abandonment and subsequent demolition.
It is presumed that they were sited just behind the "new" cross-ramp on the Kästrich. But also a lot of guessworks here.
The last few years have seen a lot of "makeshift" and "exigent" excavations in the course of new building projects.
And because there has been comparatively few research they do yield "surprising" new insights on the roman Mogontiacum -- and they surely will continue to do so in the future.
That I would bet on for sure !
(Still not completely awake-- as the typos may show)
Greez
Siggi
If anybody is interested: I've begun a small collection of german headlines on the more prominent roman finds in Mainz during the last 2 years,-- I'll mail that to him/her.
Siggi K.
