Small fort Nersingen

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Small fort Nersingen
limes ORL NN ( RLK )
Route (RLK) Rhaetian Limes , Danube line
Dating (occupancy) around 40 AD
to 80 AD
Type Small fort
unit possibly auxiliary vexillation
size Inner surface: 22.2 m × 25.2 m = approx. 780 m²
Construction Wood earth
State of preservation no longer visible on the ground
place Nersingen
Geographical location 48 ° 25 '17.2 "  N , 10 ° 6' 26"  E
height 465  m above sea level NHN
Previous Small fort Burlafingen (southwest)
Subsequently Günzburg Fort (northeast)

The small fort Nersingen is a Roman fortification of the Tiberian-Claudian Danube line , an early Roman border fortification along the Danube . The small system, of which nothing is left above the ground today, is located in the area of ​​the municipality of Nersingen in the Swabian district of Neu-Ulm , Bavaria.

Location and research history

The fortification excavated to the west of today's town of Nersingen is located around 2.1 kilometers north of the Donausüdstraße and was laid out by the Roman surveyors in a topographically well-chosen location on a flood-free low terrace above the Leibi River , a 21.9 kilometers long southern tributary of the Danube, to secure a Donaufurt.

The fort was only discovered in June 1982 by the aerial archaeologist Otto Braasch . For him, the complex was still a late Roman watchtower. In-depth research took place mainly from July 4 to August 26, 1983 under the direction of the excavator Michael Mackensen on behalf of the commission for the archaeological research of the late Roman Raetia. 1984 was used for follow-up examinations.

Building history

Model of the small fort Nersingen, Manching Celtic Museum

The archaeologists were able to measure the rectangular, pure wood-earth system with an inner side length of 22.2 × 25.2 m (approx. 780 m²). It has two single-lane entrances, with only the main gate in the southeast having a gate tower. No other towers could be found. The rear northwest outlet opposite the main gate consisted only of a small hatch , which is not far from the Leibi. A wooden turf wall was used as a fence. In front of this was a double pointed ditch with rounded corners, which apparently only stopped at the main driveway. The inner of these trenches were 3.6 to 3.8 m wide, the outer 3.3 to 3.6 m wide and reached 1.7 to 1.95 m (inside) and 1.25 m (outside) during the excavation ) below the ground level. Calculated from inner edge to inner edge, this trench enclosed an area of ​​around 41 × 242 m. It was found that the outer ditch was renewed once during the forty-year existence of the fortification. This renewed pointed ditch reached a depth that could be measured during the excavations at 1.2 to 1.4 m below the surface. To the left and right of the north-south road connecting the two gates inside the fort were two level barracks. One served as crew quarters, the second is described as a farm building. The latrine was excavated in one corner, next to it a forge and an oven were exposed. The complex of Nersingen, which was often associated with the small fort Burlafingen, which was built at the same time, has existed for much longer than the fortification located somewhat to the west, which is said to have been abandoned after around ten years.

Troop

According to the findings, Mackensen suggests that the crew assume an auxiliary vexillation that did not exceed around twelve men. Since this small unit was not able to carry out more extensive operations on its own, research assumes that the teams in Nersingen were only assigned to guard duty. It can therefore be assumed that there are other, previously unknown, small forts on the Danube line at that time in order to cover the control gaps between the larger and smaller forts that are already known.

Important finds

A total of 112 mostly very fragmentary Roman objects emerged as finds, including eight fibulae, 51 other metal objects (five of which were of military origin) and 49 ceramic pieces. This made dating easier, as these items were subject to fashions at all times. Under the recovered material there was an Auerberg pot with the punctiform scroll wheel decoration usual for Raetia. Mackensen mentioned a rubbing bowl with an inclined rim, as it also appeared in the forts Aislingen and Burlafingen, which were counted in the early phase of the Danube Limes. Such a piece is also known from the Weltenburger Frauenberg . The found coin inventory was limited to three pieces from the minting years AD 22/23, AD 72/73 and AD 80. A find possibly belonging to the time when Nersingen and Burlafingen were created was the 1959 in A legionnaire's helmet of the Hagenau type that came out of the ground in a gravel pit directly at the small fort Burlafingen, only missing the cheek flaps and the crest holder. The Legio XVI Gallica is mentioned on the broad neck shield in addition to two different owner names . Junkelmann describes the Hagenau helmets as typical of the first half of the 1st century AD.However, a direct connection between this headgear and construction activity on the Tiberian-Claudian Danube line cannot be established without difficulties, among other things because the legion mentioned is not in Raetia was stationed.

Lost property

The finds recovered in Nersingen were transferred to the State Archaeological Collection in Munich .

Monument protection

The small fort Nersingen is protected as a registered ground monument within the meaning of the Bavarian Monument Protection Act (BayDSchG). Investigations and targeted collection of finds are subject to authorization, accidental finds must be reported to the monument authorities.

See also

literature

  • Wolfgang Czysz , in: Wolfgang Czysz u. a .: The Romans in Bavaria. Nikol, Hamburg 2005, ISBN 3-937872-11-6 , p. 486 f.
  • Thomas Fischer , Erika Riedmeier-Fischer: The Roman Limes in Bavaria. Pustet, Regensburg 2008, ISBN 3791721208 , p. 187, fig. 139.
  • Thomas Fischer: The Romans in Germany. Theiss, Stuttgart 1999, ISBN 3806213259 , p. 59.
  • Christian Fleer: Typification and function of the small buildings on the Limes. In: E. Schallmayer (Ed.): Limes Imperii Romani. Contributions to the specialist colloquium “Limes World Heritage Site” in November 2001 in Lich-Arnsburg. Bad Homburg v. d. H. 2004, ISBN 3-931267-05-9 , pp. 75-92, especially p. 79 (Saalburg-Schriften 6).
  • Michael Mackensen , Angela von den Driesch u. a .: Small fort from the early imperial period near Nersingen and Burlafingen on the upper Danube . CH Beck (= Munich Contributions to Pre- and Early History 41), Munich 1987, ISBN 3-406-31749-9 .

Remarks

  1. ^ Hermann Vetters, Manfred Kandler: Files of the 14th International Limes Congress 1986 in Carnuntum . Austrian Academy of Sciences, 1990, ISBN 3700116950 , p. 486.
  2. ↑ Rainer Christlein, Otto Braasch: The underground Bavaria - 7000 years of history and archeology in aerial photography. 3rd edition, Theiss, Stuttgart 1998, ISBN 3806208557 , p. 65 (Fig.).
  3. ↑ yearbook . Bavarian Academy of Sciences, Beck, Munich 1983, ISBN 3700116950 , p. 140.
  4. ↑ Gerhild Klose, Annette Nünnerich-Asmus : Limits of the Roman Empire . von Zabern, Mainz 2006, ISBN 380533429X , p. 20.
  5. ↑ Michael Mackensen, Angela von den Driesch: Early imperial small fort near Nersingen and Burlafingen on the upper Danube. Beck, Munich 1987, ISBN 3406317499 . P. 85.
  6. ↑ a b Michael Mackensen. In: Bonner Jahrbücher, Volume 191 . Rheinland-Verlag, Cologne 1991. p. 830.
  7. ↑ Christof Flügel : The Auerberg III. Topography, Roman pottery . (=  Munich Contributions to Pre- and Early History 47). Publication of the Commission for Research into the Late Roman Raetia, Bavarian Academy of Sciences, Munich, Beck, Munich 1999, ISBN 3406107516 , p. 79.
  8. ↑ Michael Mackensen, Angela von den Driesch: Early imperial small fort near Nersingen and Burlafingen on the upper Danube. Beck, 1987, ISBN 3406317499 . P. 154.
  9. ↑ Hans-Peter Kuhnen (Ed.): Abgetaucht, aufgetaucht - river finds. From history. With their story. Exhibition catalog. Rheinisches Landesmuseum Trier, Trier 2001, ISBN 3-923319-48-7 , p. 56; Fig. 57.
  10. ↑ Marcus Junkelmann: The Legions of Augustus , von Zabern, Mainz 1986, ISBN 3-8053-0886-8 , p. 172.