Durnomagus (Dormagen)
Durnomagus, now called Dormagen,was founded during the reign of the Roman emperor Domitian (81-96). The fort, built on a levee of the river Rhine, was the home of a cavalry squadron from Noricum. During the reign of the emperor Antoninus Pius (138-161), it was rebuilt from stone, but this did not prevent a large fire in c.200. The destroyed fort was not used again and the garrison seems to have moved to nearby Burungum. However, several objects suggest reoccupation in the first half of the first century.
Today, hardly anything is visible, although the architect of the parking garage on the site of the southern gate was clearly inspired by the ancient fortress. Several small structures near the modern town hall of Dormagen also remind one of what lies beneath. The main road through the village, the B9, is exactly on the site of the ancient road from Cologne to Neuss.
Several archaeological finds from Dormagen are now in the lovely Rheinisches Landesmuseum in Bonn. Among them is a relief showing the popular god Mithras, killing a celestial bull. It must have been made by a great artist, shortly before the fire of 200. Another discovery with religious significance is a dedication to the nymphs. A little south of Durnomagus was a production zone for tiles.
In the center of Dormagen, near the town hall, some replicas of ancient objects are displayed. A satellite photo of the site can be found here.