The first Roman bridgehead fort ever present in Austria has been recognized close to Stopfenreuth on the Decrease Austrian Danube floodplains. The one different bridgehead identified on the Danube Limes (the Roman boundary line) is on the Iža-Leányvár fort in Slovakia. The bridgehead was not a everlasting bridge, however moderately a fort constructed on the river the place troops oversaw the motion of individuals, commerce and items over a strategically vital boundary line. A ferry service probably transported folks and merchandise from the fort on the north financial institution of the Danube to the south.
Among the ruins of the traditional partitions are nonetheless seen and have been identified because the nineteenth century because the Ödes Schloss (Abandoned Fortress), and historians hypothesized that it was a medieval fortress or a fortress from the sixteenth century wars with the Ottoman Empire. Excavations in 2024 uncovered extra well-preserved sections of partitions and stamped bricks of Legio XIV and Legio XV Apollinaris, two legions that have been garrisoned on the fortress of Carnuntum 2.5 miles away.
Carnuntum was based within the early 1st century as a winter camp, however rapidly grew into an imposing navy fortress with an related metropolis that turned the capital of the Roman province Pannonia Superior. It was the epicenter of the forts on the Danube, a bulwark in opposition to the Germanic tribes attacking Pannonia. Marcus Aurelius wrote the second ebook of his Meditations whereas headquartered at Carnuntum throughout the Marcomannic Wars (172-174 A.D.), and Septimius Severus was acclaimed emperor there after the dying of Pertinax in 193 A.D. It was additionally an vital cease on the Roman Amber Street that moved prized Baltic amber from Northern Europe to Italy. Amber merchants following the principle department of the street crossed the Danube at Carnuntum, so the bridgehead additionally guarded the precious items as they crossed into Roman territory.
Excavations within the Hainburger Au area revealed remarkably well-preserved wall constructions. Significantly spectacular are sections of the fort partitions which have survived as much as 2.65 meters excessive. Scientific analysis exhibits that the fort was in-built two phases. The primary section dates again to round 170/180 AD, when Emperor Marcus Aurelius had the Roman border bolstered in opposition to the Germanic tribes throughout the Marcomannic Wars. In a second building section round 260 AD, the advanced was renovated underneath Emperor Gallienus, however as Carnuntum regularly declined in significance, so did the variety of troops.
The archaeological finds embody stamped bricks from the XIV and XV legionary items, cash, ceramics, and a few small bronze finds. “They reveal the nice strategic significance of Carnuntum inside the Roman navy system and supply new insights into the navy safety of the north-south connection,” emphasizes Eduard Pollhammer, archaeologist and scientific director of Carnuntum.
The excavation within the Donauauen Nationwide Park have concluded, however the archaeological supplies recovered are at the moment present process conservation and examine.
