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Augusta Treverorum (Trier)

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The famous Trier wineship relief. Rheinisches Landesmuseum, Trier (Germany). Photo Jona Lendering.

The foundation of Trier's prosperity was trade on the river Moselle, which is part of the great artery of pre-industrial Europe: the corridor of Rhine, Moselle, Saône, and Rhône. This boat transports barrels of wine. It is in Trier's Rheinisches Landesmuseum. Here is a view of the Moselle, south of Trier.

Ancient-Warfare.com, the online home of Ancient Warfare magazine

In the late Iron Age, the tribe of the Treveri was very powerful, but Trier was not yet an important city. It rose to prominence when the Roman general Agrippa built the road from Lyon to Cologne and a bridge was constructed near the place where the Saar empties itself in the Moselle. The second-century bridge has survived and is still in use (satellite photo). The city is to the right; to the left is a plain, which was a battlefield during the Batavian revolt (70).

The Romans called the city Augusta Treverorum, "the august city of the Treveri". It had the rank of colonia and was the seat of the procurator who was responsible for Gallia Belgica, Germania Superior, and Germania Inferior. The size of the forum, 275x135 meter, is an indication of the importance of the market: this was an important economic center. Like so many ancient Roman cities, it had an amphitheater for gladiatorial contests (satellite photo). It was partly dug inside the slope of the hill of the east of the city during the reign of Trajan (98-117). Not far from here was the hippodrome or circus.

This is is the Porta nigra, "black gate", seen from the north (satellite photo). The walls of Trier were erected during the reign of Marcus Aurelius (161-180). This was a peaceful time, but within a generation, during the war between the emperor Septimius Severus and his rival Clodius Albinus, the walls were used when the Twenty-Second legion Primigenia defended Trier against the last-mentioned.

The same heavy gate, seen from inside the city. The area inside the walls was about 285 hectare, which means that Trier was a large city. It may have had as many as 50,000 inhabitants, who needed more food than the immediate surroundings could produce. The river port has been identified downstream from the bridge. A double granary has been excavated.

This is one of the towers. Once, catapults stood inside behind the windows. They were insufficient to keep away the Germanic warriors who looted the valley of the Moselle in 256. Trier was sacked. After the glorious interlude of the Gallic Empire, the city burned again in 274.

During the reign of the emperors Diocletian (284-305) and Maximianus (286-305), Trier was made the capital of the prefecture of Gaul. Several buildings, worthy of an imperial residence, were erected in the course of the fourth century, especially after 326. There was an important mint, and several learned people (e.g., Lactantius and Ausonius) are known to have stayed at the imperial court.

The remains of the imperial baths, or thermae (satellite photo). There were at least two similar complexes: the Baths of Barbara (satellite photo), built between 144 and 152 near the bridge (which was renovated at the same time), and the old baths that were excavated near the modern Viehmarkt.

This is the Aula Palatina or Basilica, built by Constantine I the Great (satellite photo). In this hall, the emperor received and entertained his guests. Here, Martinus of Tours had a celebrated meeting with the emperor Magnus Maximus in 384. The tiles were made by two men, Capio and Adiutex, who also produced the tiles for the slightly older Roman fort at Köln-Alteburg.

After the reign of Constantine, the Roman empire became Christian. One of the first Christian leaders in the Rhineland was Maternus, citizen of Trier and bishop of Cologne. Athanasius, Jerome and Ambrose are known to have visited the city on the banks of the Moselle, and must have visited this imperior basilica and the double church that was erected on the site of an earlier palace. In the apse, a statue of the emperor must have stood.

After the fall of the Roman empire, Trier became the capital of a Frankish princedom, which was included in the larger kingdom of Clovis.

The interior of the basilica has not changed very much. The many windows add to the feeling of spaciousness. Now, it is a church. The roof is not authentic, but resembles the ancient original.

Another article on Trier can be found here.

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