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Kneblinghausen

Unless otherwise indicated, pictures on this page © Marco Prins and Jona Lendering. Photos can be downloaded and used for non-commercial purposes, but you have to acknowledge Livius.
The remains of the Roman fort that can be seen in the forest south of modern Kneblinghausen -this is the northwestern wall- are very interesting because they are comparatively late. Unlike the other military settlements along the Lippe, which date back to the period between 13 BCE and 9 CE, Kneblinghausen belongs to a later age. It was built along an important trade road that connected the Rhine and the Weser.
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Its late age can be derived from the fact that its gates are of the clavicula-type, which became popular after 70 and is also know from the siege of Masada in Israel. The Kneblinghausen fort may have been built during Domitian's wars against the Chatti (in 83-85), or a contemporary operation against the Bructeri that is recorded by Pliny the Younger, or the capture of the Bructerian prophetess Veleda, who had played a role in the Batavian revolt (69-70) and was captured by the Romans in 77.

Kneblinghausen was twice occupied. Originally, it measured about 10 ha; later, when a smaller unit occupied the site, the eastern wall was abandoned and a second wall was constructed. During this second phase, the surface area was 7½ ha.

A satellite photo can be found here.

 
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