Burgus villa house

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Burgus (at Jagen 60) and villa house (Prussian map (1891-1912))

The Burgus villa house is the first late Roman Burgus that has been archaeologically examined in the Cologne area.

Research history

The fortification was about 12.8 km away from the Roman Cologne , the CCAA , directly on the south side of the Roman road Trier-Cologne . The site was located on Brühl city right on the border to Huerth the forester's house "Mansion House". In the forest near the Ville , the ramparts of the complex had been well preserved. Roman bricks and stones were found during work there around 1875. Part of the fortification was destroyed during gravel mining in the following years. In 1923, the Burgus was threatened with final destruction due to the ongoing lignite mining in this region . The Provinzialmuseum Bonn (today LVR-Landesmuseum Bonn ) then carried out an archaeological emergency excavation led by Hans Lehner .

Finding

The system had a square basic shape with strongly rounded corners. The greatest width on the outside was about 60 m, the interior had a side length of about 26 m. During the investigation in 1923, the wall was cut in several places, including in the area of ​​the entrance facing the Roman road. Some cuts were also made in the interior. The Burgus was therefore not completely excavated.

A distinction can be made between two construction phases. In the older phase the wall was about 5 m wide and 1.5 m high, with a pointed ditch in front of it. Post holes on the wall testify to the existence of a palisade or a fence. A coin of the emperor Claudius Gothicus under the embankment provides a terminus post quem of 268 for the building. According to the excavator, some post holes in the interior, apparently from wooden fixtures, also belong to the first phase.

After being destroyed by fire, the fortifications were rebuilt in the 4th century. The wall was raised and the Spitz trench with a width of 10 m and a depth of 3.5 m was rebuilt. In the area of ​​the newly built younger wall, the access to the street has also been cut. Post holes have been found on the sides and in the middle of the 3 m wide driveway, which are interpreted as the remains of a gatehouse. The interior was at least partially made of stone, but only a few architectural parts were found, including a door frame and roof tiles.

interpretation

In the late 19th century, Carl von Veith associated the site with the place M () nerica marked on the Tabula Peutingeriana . However, this is a vicus , of which presumed remains have been found nearby. Lehner interpreted the small fortification as a beneficiary station . This interpretation is also outdated, the Burgus villa house rather belongs to a network of military burgi that were built to protect the streets. Another such fortification of a similar size with internal wooden structures is the so-called Heidenburg in the Königsdorf Forest between Quadrath-Ichendorf and Frechen-Königsdorf on the Via Belgica .

More burgi in the Rhineland

In the meantime, various other burgi have been discovered in the Rhineland , some of which also belong to Roman manors . Examples are fortifications near Froitzheim, Rheinbach-Flerzheim or in the Hambach Forest. Burgus Asperden is located further north on the Rhine .

literature

  • Carl von Veith: The Roman roads Cöln-Reims and Reims-Trier. Bonner Jahrbücher 75, 1873, pp. 1–30, especially p. 6
  • Hans Lehner: Report on the activity of the Provincial Museum in Bonn. (Report 1 on the excavation near villa house). Bonner Jahrb. 129, 1924, pp. 256–259
  • Clemens Klug: Hürth, how it was, how it was. Cologne 1961, p. 30
  • J. Hock: Burgus in Thomas Fischer (ed.): The Roman provinces. Stuttgart 2001, pp. 143-151, especially p. 145
  • Raymund Gottschalk: Römer und Franken in Hürth , pp. 151–157, Verlag Rudolf Habelt, Bonn 2014 ISBN 978-3-7749-3928-8

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Compilation of 28 Burgi at Elisabeth Maria Spiegel: excavations in a Roman settlement in Cologne-Widdersdorf. Kölner Jahrbuch 35, 2002, pp. 699–782, especially pp. 720–724.

Coordinates: 50 ° 50 ′ 5.3 "  N , 6 ° 50 ′ 28"  E