Antwerp

Q31467408

Antwerp: large city in Belgium with a couple of Roman remains.

Semini: a rare Roman relief from Antwerp
Semini: a rare Roman relief from Antwerp

Because the terrain has changed considerably, Roman remains are very difficult to find in Antwerp, the main port of modern Belgium, situated on the east bank of the Scheldt. Hardly any monumental architecture has survived, although a tomb has been identified at the location of the former All Saints' Monastery.

There's also an interesting second-century CE ancient relief in the gate to the Medieval castle near the port ("Het Steen"), which is called Semini. When they are in a poetic mood, the people of Antwerp still call themselves "Semini's children". The relief is essentially some kind of Sheela na gig.

This page was created in 2012; last modified on 6 August 2020.