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[German version] A. Geography and tradition Righthand tributary flowing into the Rhine a little above Vetera (Str. 7,1,3), modern Lippe. For Mela 3,30, Moenus (Main) and L. are the best-known tributaries of the Rhine ( Rhenus), and these names were used for the most important Roman invasion routes into Germania Magna. Mentioned on several occasions in the course of the Roman offensives into the area east of the Rhine from 12 BC to AD 15/6 (Cass. Dio 54,33,1-4; Tac. Ann. 1,60,3; 2,7,1). In AD 70 the c…

[German version] Germanic tribe (Caes. B Gall. 4,3,3; Tac. Germ. 28,4; Tac. Hist. 4,28,1; 4,64), settled in Caesar's time on the right bank of the Rhine (Rhenus [2]) between the lower La(u)gona (modern Lahn) and Taunus. Displaced by the Suebi, the U. allied with Caesar in 55 BC (Caes. B Gall. 4,8,3; 16,5-8). Caesar's Rhine crossings in 55 and 53 BC probably took place from the Neuwieder Becken in the territory of the U. The history and chronology of their resettlement on the left bank of the Rhine…

[German version] People of the Germanic Istaevones (Plin. HN 4,100) on the right bank of the Rhenus [2] opposite the Eburones and between the Ubii and the Bructeri. To the east, they bordered on the Chatti and the Cherusci. In 55 BC they absorbed the the Usipetes and the Tencteri, whom Caesar had defeated, and crossed the river into their territory (Caes. B Gall. 4,16-19; Plut. Caesar 22; Cass. Dio 39,48,3-5). In 53 BC …

[German version] Right-hand tributary of the Rhine, modern Neckar, whose course has changed many times, primarily around its mouth. From the La Tène period (La Tène culture) the region was inhabited by Celts. In the early Imperial period the lower courses were settled by Elbe-Germani, who gave their name to the civitas Ulpia Sueborum Nicrensium established around Lopodunum (modern Ladenburg) from the time of Trajan. The region around its headwaters and the area between the Odenwald and the Rhine were secured by fortresses from the time of Vespasian…

[German version] Roman limes fort (Limes [III], with map) north of modern Bad Homburg, on a pass over the Taunus. The small redoubts A and B, generally associated with fortification measures undertaken under the emperor Domitian (AD 81-96) after the war with the Chatti (Chatti), have been hitherto successively regarded as the oldest installations [1; 2; 3; 4]. Redoubt A, with its entrance to the south, may possibly date from the reign of Vespasian (AD 69-79) as a marching or construction camp for sh…

[German version] Region in which boundary markers separated the territories of the Burgundiones and the Romans, also called Capellatium; hither, Iulianus [11] led a campaign against the Alamanni on the right bank of the Rhine river in AD 359 (Amm. Marc. 18,2,15). P. should probably be localised around Öhringen northeast of Heilbronn. Wiegels, Rainer (Osnabrück) Bibliography P. Goessler s.v. P., RE 18.2, 2516-2528  W. Dahlheim, Capellatium, in: RGA 4, 1980, 338f.  L. Jacob, I. Ulmann, Kommentar zu Ammianus, in: J. Herrmann (ed.), Griechische und lateinische Quellen zur Früh…

[German version] Germanic tribe, driven in 58 BC from their homeland to the east of the Rhine by the Suebi. After three years as nomads, in 55 BC the T. crossed the Rhine (Rhenus [2]), defeated the west-bank Menapii, who had refused to accept them into their territory, and migrated up the Meuse (Mosa [1]) as far as the Eburones and the Condrusi. There, Caesar annihilated them; only some of the cavalry escaped to the Sugambri to the east of the Rhine (Caes. B Gall. 4,1,1-4,18,5). In 17/16 BC they, …

[German version] (also Usipi). Germanic tribe, presumably originally settled in the valley of the La(u)gona (modern Lahn), which was driven out by the Suebi in 58 BC. After crossing the Rhenus [2] (modern Rhine) they drove out the Menapii in 56/5 BC and subsequently advanced farther south. In 55 BC Caesar annihilated the U. and the Tencteri; previously he had unlawfully captured the leaders of the two tribes, and this led to to severe reactions in Rome (Caes. Gall. 4,1-16; 6,35,5; Plut. Caesar 22,…

[German version] The Suebi, an association of Germanic tribes or groups of Germanic peoples, numerous and strong (Str. 4,3,4; 7,1,3), between the Rhenus [2] (Rhine), Istrus [2] (Danube), Albis (Elbe) and as far as the Mare Suebicum (Baltic Sea) area. The nucleus of their territory was Lusatia, later Saxony and Thuringia. Although first recorded in the 1st century BC (Caes. Gall. 1,37,3 f.;  cf. Tac. Germ. 2,2), their name had been coined by the 2nd century BC. The S. included e.g. the Marcomanni, …

[German version] Site of a battle between Teutons under  Arminius and Romans under  Germanicus. The latter had led his troops over the sea to the river Ems and further on land via the river Weser in the summer of AD 16. The Romans won the battle in the I. plain ( campus) between the Weser and hilly terrain (Tac. Ann. 2,16,1) I. cannot be localized but is generally assumed to be in the surroundings of Porta Westfalica. Wiegels, Rainer (Osnabrück) Bibliography B. Rappaport, s.v. I., RE 9, 903-905 E. Koestermann, Die Feldzüge des Germanicus, in: Historia 6, 1957, 429-479, esp. 425-455.

[German version] River in the territory of the Batavi; in AD 70, a bridge over the N. was broken, so that Julius [II 43] Civilis and Petilius Cerialis could each stand on his respective side and negotiate at an appropriate distance (Tac. Hist. 5,26,1). The N. may be identifiable with the modern Lee between Lienden and Maurik in the Netherlands [3]. However, Tacitus may not have meant the river flowing between the warring pair at all, but may be referring only to a navalis (i.e. pons, ‘pontoon bridge’; [2]). It is also conceivable that Tacitus' N. is to be understood as the locat…

[German version] This item can be found on the following maps: Oppidum (Ταρόδουνον; Taródounon). Celtic township at the end of the Höllental valley (Ptol. 2,11,30), modern Zarten in the Black Forest. There is evidence of a fortified site (approximately 200 ha) with murus Gallicus (scarcely traces of settlement), with a 2nd/1st century BC settlement area outside it (approximately 12-16 ha) (Celtic coins, products of gold smelting, a planchet, amphora sherds, a glass bracelet, ring beads). Wiegels, Rainer (Osnabrück) Bibliography F. Fischer, Beiträge zur Kenntnis von T., i…

[German version] This item can be found on the following maps: Batavian Revolt Roman road-station (It. Ant. 373,1: Egorigio; Tab. Peut. 3,1) where the Trier - Cologne road crossed the Kyll, modern Jünkerath. From the 1st cent. AD long-houses were built close to each other on both sides of the road, with the narrow side facing the street. Destroyed during the German invasions of the 3rd cent., protected in the late Constantinian period by a circular fortification (135 m diameter) with 13 round towers and two gateh…

[German version] This item can be found on the following maps: Batavian Revolt Settlement in the western territory of the Ubii, possibly modern Düren or, more probably, Merken near Düren, where the cohortes Ubiorum were destroyed during the uprising of Iulius [II 43] Civilis in AD 69 (Tac. Hist. 4,28,2). Wiegels, Rainer (Osnabrück) Bibliography A. Franke, s.v. M., RE 14, 1680f. C. B. Rüger, Germania Inferior, 1968, 82.

[German version] Germanic tribe in the cult community of the Nerthus tribes to the north of the Langobardi (Tac. Germ. 40,2) in the area of modern Holstein and West-Mecklenburg. Wiegels, Rainer (Osnabrück) Bibliography B. Rappaport, s. v. R., RE 1 A, 700 f.  A. Genrich, Der Siedlungsraum der Nerthusstämme, in: Die Kunde 26/7, 1975/6, 103-146.

[German version] Modern Prüm (Rhineland-Palatinate), a water-abundant tributary of the Sauer (Sura), which it joins below Echternach; mentioned by Auson. Mos. 354 together with the Nims. The areas the P. flows through were densely populated in Roman times. Wiegels, Rainer (Osnabrück) Bibliography J. Steinhausen, Archäologische Siedlungskunde des Trierer Landes, 1936, 324 f.  P. Goessler, s. v. P., RE 23, 650 f.

[German version] River springing from Mont Donon in the Vosges (Vosegus) and flowing into the Mosella near Contoniacum; the present-day Saar river. Pier substructures testify to the existence of a bridge along the road Divodurum (Metz) - Augusta [6] Treverorum (Trier); the valley road running on the right of the Mosella converged to this bridge as well. There is evidence of other bridges upriver. The ‘winding S.’ (Auson. Mos. 91-93; cf. 367-369) was navigable up to Saarburg. A vicus S. is mentioned in an inscription on a column from Mont Donon, along the procession road l…

[German version] [1] M. Traiani Emperor Iulianus [11] renewed the Munimentum Traiani, originally built at the behest of Trajan, during a campaign out of Mogontiacum in the autumn of AD 357 (Amm. Marc. 17,1,11). The Alamanni were compelled to provide food to the occupying troops when necessary. The identity of this Munimentum Traiani is disputed. Locations between the Main and the Neckar have been suggested, while recent scholarship has sought to present the Munimentum not as a fort but as a complete military installation, i.e. as the limes , with implications …

[German version] Roman auxiliary fort, whose exact location is not known; probably on the left bank of the Vacalus (modern Waal). The name implies a ford. During the Batavian Revolt in AD 70/1, V. was attacked by Iulius [II 43] Civilis and successfully relieved by Q. Petillius [II 1] Cerialis. On alleged inscriptional mentions of V. cf. [1]. Wiegels, Rainer (Osnabrück) Bibliography 1 H. Nesselhauf, Neue Inschriften aus dem römischen Germanien und den angrenzenden Gebieten, in: BRGK 27, 1938, 51-134, 119 No. 257. P. Goessler, s. v. V., RE 7 A, 2043-2046.

[German version] Name of an island of enormous size (Mela 3,54: S. a conjectural reading for Codannovia; Plin. HN 4,96; 8,39: S., various MSS: Scati-), which became known to the Romans during a naval expedition involving circumnavigation of Jutland in AD 5 (R. Gest. div. Aug. 26; Vell. Pat. 2,106,3; Plin. HN 2,167). In addition, Plin. HN 4,104 (following unnamed informants) incorrectly locates the Scandiae Islands to the north of Britain (cf. Ptol. 2,11,33). These designate primarily southern Sweden and the Danish isles (cf. also Ptol. 2,11,34: Σκανδίαι/ Skandíai with the main isla…