Waldgirmes
The website of Waldgirmes can be found here. Several finds are on display in the nearby Heimatmuseum. A satellite photo is here.
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Waldgirmes |
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Waldgirmes is a Roman settlement in Germany, more than 100 km east of the Rhine, west of modern Gießen. It dates back to the first decade of our era, to the period in which Roman commanders like Drusus, Tiberius, and Varus attempted the conquer the Germanic tribes. It is not the only Roman settlement on the Rhine's east bank, but unlike those, Waldgirmes is not a fort. Hardly any military objects have been excavated, and barracks have not been identified. Perhaps it was a town for veterans (colonia). |
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A model of the central building. The foundations were made out of stone. In other words, the Romans intended to stay in Waldgirmes. This is also shown by the gilded equestrian statue of the emperor Augustus on the central court of this monumental building - hardly an object for a temporary settlement. Although the building looks like the headquarters or praetorium of a fort, it can probably better be called a forum, market place. | |
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A view of the forum, which measured 54x45 meter; the foundations were ½ m wide. A part of the stone lines on this picture is modern and gives the visitor an impression of the entire building; another part is authentic. The settlement was situated in the fertile valley of the river Lahn, close to a legionary base at Dorlar and a native settlement (oppidum) on the Dünsberg. | |
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The excavation of the western wall. You can see the traces of a double ditch (right and center) and a palisade (left). The wall surrounded a surface of about 8 ha. It appears that the settlement was evacuated and it is easy to identify the occasion: the disaster in the Teutoburg Forest in 9 CE, in which three legions (XVII, XVIII, and XIX) were destroyed. The gilded equestrian statue was left behind. | |
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The site of Waldgirmes was identified in 1990, the forum with the stone
foundations was discovered in 1997, and excavations were still going on
in the late summer of 2005. This picture shows the traces of a building
to the southwest of the forum.
The website of Waldgirmes can be found here. Several finds are on display in the nearby Heimatmuseum. A satellite photo is here. |
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