Roman Watchtower 10/35

The Upper Germanic-Rhaetian Limes, with a length of 550 km, from Eining near Regensburg to Rheinbrohl on the Rhine, is the largest archaeological monument in Germany and has been recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. Limes (Latin: border path/wall) refers to the border fortifications of the Roman Empire, which were erected towards the end of the 1st century AD.

This border was monitored by more than 900 towers, which were built in timber construction during the initial phase, starting around 80 AD. Stone towers followed, which were plastered from 150 AD onwards. Excavations have shown that the white plaster often had incised joints, which were painted in terracotta. This created the impression of beautiful ashlar masonry.

A ruined stone tower, located on a slope, along with two tower mounds of the wooden predecessor structures. The stone tower had a square floor plan with a side length of 5.25 m, and its walls were 90 cm thick. Among the numerous building fragments found in the material was an inscription tablet, the building inscription of the tower, which allowed the tower's construction to be dated to 146 AD. The inscription reads (heavily supplemented):

Imp(eratori) Caesari divi
Hadr(iani) fil(io) Tit(o) Ael(io)
Hadrian(o) Antonino
Au]g(usto) [Pio pont(ifici) max(imo) trib(unicia)
pot(estate) VIII c[o(n)s(uli) IIII p(atri) p(atriae)
Brit(tones) Tr[iput(ienses) Cla-
ro II et S[evero co(n)s(ulibus)

Translated: "To the Emperor Caesar, son of the deified Hadrian, Titus Aelius Hadrianus Antoninus Pius, Pontifex Maximus, in the eighth year of his tribunician power, four times Consul, Father of the Fatherland, by the Britones Triputienses. In the year when Clarus was Consul for the second time and Severus was Consul."

The upper wooden tower mound, located directly next to the stone tower, is still relatively well preserved and has a diameter of 15 m from ditch edge to ditch edge (nine to ten meters from ditch center to ditch center). The lower wooden tower mound is very flat and has a diameter of 25 m. The distance of the palisade ditch was 32 m from the front of the stone tower and about 30 m from the wooden towers.