Waldgirmes

Model of the excavations of Waldgirmes.

Waldgirmes: village in Germany, site of an ancient Roman city.

West of Waldgirmes, a small town in Germany, archaeologists are excavating the remains of a Roman settlement. There are many Roman settlements in Germany, but this is a civil one, and what is more interesting: it is 100 km east of the Rhine. Moreover, it dates back to the first decade of our era, to the period in which Roman commanders like Drusus, Tiberius, and Varus attempted the subdue the Germanic tribes. Hardly any military objects have been excavated, and barracks have not been identified. Perhaps it was a town for veterans (colonia).

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

Model of the forum (?) of Waldgirmes.

The foundations of the central building - to the left is a model - were made out of natural stone. In other words, the Romans intended to stay in their new city east of the Rhine. 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 settlement that is not meant to be permanent. Although the building looks like the headquarters or principia of a fort, it can probably better be called a forum, market place.

The forum (?) of Waldgirmes.

The forum -if a forum it was- measured 54x45 meter, or 36x30 Roman passus; the foundations were about two feet wide. A part of the stone lines on the picture to the left (also visible on this satellite photo) is modern and gives the visitor an impression of the entire building; the greater part, however, 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.

Excavations of Waldgirmes.

The photo to the left shows the excavation of the western wall, in 2005. 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 evacuation must have taken place in a hurry, because the gilded equestrian statue was left behind.

Excavations of Waldgirmes.

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 finds from the Waldgirmes excavation are on display in the local Heimatmuseum.