Hermeskeil Roman camp

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The Roman camp Hermeskeil was a 26-hectare Roman military camp east of today's city of Hermeskeil ( Trier-Saarburg district ), which was built in the final phase of the Gallic War (between 53 and 51 BC). It is one of the oldest known Roman military camps in Germany and is one of three (one in Hermeskeil and two more near Limburg ) from the time of Gaius Julius Caesar .

The main camp had the shape of a trapezoid and was surrounded by a pointed ditch and earth wall, parts of which are still left in a forest. In order to guarantee the water supply, the camp was expanded at one point by around eight hectares to a natural spring. The facility offered space for between 5,000 and 10,000 soldiers.

The first scientific work by researchers from the Institute for Prehistory and Protohistory at the University of Mainz began in March 2010, when the suspicion of an old Roman military camp was confirmed by archaeological prospecting in the vicinity. Further archaeological excavations took place from July to September 2013.

The facility is only a few kilometers away from a late Celtic settlement in the ring wall of Otzenhausen , which was once inhabited by the Treverians living in the area .

literature

  • Heinz Cüppers : The Romans in Rhineland-Palatinate. Theiss-Verlag, Stuttgart 1990, pp. 384-386
  • Thomas Frisch: The excavations in Hermeskeil. Terrex, Nonnweiler 2013.
  • Sabine Hornung : A late republican military camp near Hermeskeil (district Trier-Saarburg). Preliminary report on the research 2010–2011. In: Archaeological correspondence sheet. 42, 2012, pp. 205-224.
  • Sabine Hornung: An episode of the Gallic War on German soil? Current research in the late republican military camp of Hermeskeil, Trier-Saarburg district. In: Finds and excavations in the Trier district.  44, 2012, pp. 28-38.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ For the first time Roman castles of Gaius Julius Caesar in Hesse recorded. hessenARCHEOLOGY ( online )
  2. ↑ Unexpectedly early Roman military camp discovered during archaeological excavations in the area of ​​the new bridge structure of the A3 near Limburg. hessenARCHEOLOGY ( online )
  3. ↑ Archaeologists uncover the oldest Roman camp on German soil in Hermeskeil. In: Volksfreund.de. September 10, 2012, accessed October 21, 2013 .
  4. ↑ a b Hunsrück: Oldest camp for Roman soldiers discovered. Spiegel Online, September 10, 2012, accessed October 21, 2013 .
  5. ↑ a b c Daniela Zeibig: Archaeologists find the earliest Roman camp on German soil. (No longer available online.) In: Spektrum. Spektrum Verlag, August 29, 2012, formerly in the original ; Retrieved October 21, 2013 .  ( Page no longer available , search in web archives )  Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.@1@ 2Template: Dead Link / www.epoc.de  
  6. ↑ The oldest Roman camp in Germany: Shards betray Caesar's troops. Spiegel Online, September 20, 2013, accessed October 21, 2013 .

Web links

Coordinates: 49 ° 39 ′ 32 "  N , 6 ° 57 ′ 36"  E