Magia

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Magia is the name of a Roman settlement or road station in the province of Raetia , which is only mentioned on the Tabula Peutingeriana (segment III / 1). Their location is controversial, Balzers , the castle hill Gutenberg , Mäls and Schaan in Liechtenstein as well as Maienfeld and the St. Luzisteig in the Swiss canton of Graubünden were discussed as possible locations .

Localization

On the Tabula Peutingeriana, Magia is shown on the road route from Brigantio ( Bregenz ) to Mediolanum ( Milan ) between the stations Clunia ( Feldkirch / Altenstadt ) and Luria or Curia ( Chur ). Although it is a late antique road map, many of the places marked on the Tabula Peutingeriana are chronologically inconsistent. The route associated with Magia can, however, essentially be narrowed down to the 3rd and especially the 4th century AD. To date, no location has been identified to which Magia can be clearly assigned. One of the main reasons for the controversy about the exact location is likely to be the fact that Magia is located in today's border area between the Principality of Liechtenstein and the Swiss canton of Graubünden . Historians from both countries have tried to locate Magia in their area since the 19th century.

Remnants of the wall under the eastern part of the municipality of Balzers in the south of Liechtenstein indicate a larger Roman settlement at this location, the original extent of which is unknown. It is unclear whether this was Magia. The place name, which is derived from the name Palazoles , which was documented in the early Middle Ages , could also speak in favor of Magias being located in Balzers . In terms of linguistic history, this can be derived from the Latin palatiolum , which means “small palatinate” or “small royal court”. A derivation of palatiola for “small mansion, stopover” is also possible. Archaeological finds have already led to the thesis that Magia can be found around or on the prominent castle hill Gutenberg in Balzers.

The first Liechtenstein historian, Peter Kaiser , identified Magia in 1847 with the hamlet of Mäls near Balzers. This localization results mainly from the word similarity Magias to Mäls or the in early medieval Churrätischen Reichsgutsurbar mentioned 842/43 Meili , but which probably more Mels in the canton of St. Gallen says. A comparison of the distance information on the Tabula Peutingeriana (which should be taken with caution) with today's locations led the historian Georg Malin to equate Mäls with Magia in 1958 . Since the discovery of the remains of a Roman fort in Schaan , Magia has also been suspected at this location, which, however, seems rather unlikely, especially from a linguistic-historical point of view.

Etymological reasons speak for an identification of Magia with Maienfeld . Linguistically it is assumed that Magia is derived from the Gallic word magos , which means "field". After the Romance language had been pushed back, the name Maginvelt for Maienfeld would have been created by doubling the word , which was first recorded in 1282. However, no adequate archaeological Roman Age finds are known from Maienfeld. Since the road layout drawn on the Tabula Peutingeriana ran over the St. Luzisteig pass road between Balzers and Maienfeld, Magia could also be located there. Coins and votive offerings from a pass sanctuary were excavated there from Roman times .

While the Historical Lexicon of Switzerland equates Magia with Maienfeld, the Historical Lexicon of the Principality of Liechtenstein declares the assignment to be uncertain.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c Magia - Historical Lexicon. Retrieved April 14, 2020 .
  2. ↑ Balzers - Historical Lexicon. Retrieved April 14, 2020 .
  3. ^ Paul Vogt: Mäls or Mels? For the discussion about the designation Meilis in the Churrätischen Urbar . In: Balzner Neujahrsblätter . tape 20 . Balzers 2014, p. 14–21 ( eliechtensteinensia.li ).
  4. ^ Egon Rheinberger, JB Büchel: Gutenberg near Balzers . In: Yearbook of the Historical Association for the Principality of Liechtenstein . tape 14 . Vaduz 1914, p. 11-98 ( eliechtensteinensia.li ).
  5. ^ Peter Kaiser: History of the Principality of Liechtenstein. Along with descriptions from Chur-Raetien's past . Chur 1847 ( eliechtensteinensia.li ).
  6. ↑ a b Johannes F. Fulda: Mäls or Mels? For the discussion about the designation Meilis in the Churrätisches Reichsgutsurbar from the first half of the 9th century . In: Balzner Neujahrsblätter . tape 21 . Balzers 2015, p. 49-55 ( eliechtensteinensia.li ).
  7. ↑ Georg Malin: The territory of Liechtenstein under Roman rule . In: Yearbook of the Historical Association for the Principality of Liechtenstein . tape 58 . Vaduz 1958, p. 7–90 ( eliechtensteinensia.li ).
  8. ↑ Sankt Luzisteig - Historical Lexicon. Retrieved April 14, 2020 .
  9. ^ Maienfeld (municipality). Retrieved April 17, 2020 .