Dominikanermuseum Rottweil
N 48° 10.132 E 008° 37.559
32U E 472191 N 5335136
Rottweil was founded by the Romans in 73 AD as Arae Flaviae and became a municipium, with traces of human settlement going back to 2000 BC. The museum exhibits archaelogical finds from excavations of the Roman city.
Waymark Code: WM13YP
Location: Baden-Württemberg, Germany
Date Posted: 01/07/2007
Views: 82
All exhibits are in German, although the objects can be appreciated without needing to read. Photos without flash are permitted.
Roman Rottweil was apparently created due to the construction of a direct connection between Argentorate (Strasbourg) across the Black Forest and the Roman provence of Raetia (the plain region to the east extending to the Alps), near the year 73 A.D. The crossing of the Neckar and Prim rivers, a kilometer south of the present city center of Rottweil, was surveyed by several strongholds and developed into a crossroads. Radiating from there, stretched the routes towards Brigobanne (Hüfingen), and further away, the upper Rhein region, as well as towards the camps of Vindonissa (Windisch im Aargau), to Sumelocenna (Rottenburg), and Sulz on the Neckar, towards the stronghold Tuttlingen and in the direction of Strasbourg towards the stronghold of Waldmössingen.
In front of the forts occupied by a part of the 11th legion and 6 cohorts extended the military camps and from there on, a civilian camp constructed in wood. This colony, under the reign of the emperor Domitian (81 - 96 A.D.) was given the name Arae Flaviae (meaning alters in honor of the imperial family of Flavian) and is the only roman city in what is presently Baden-Württemberg, to be promoted to the rank of "Municipium".
This city extended along the two banks of the river Neckar and had at least 5 Gallo-Roman temples, 3 public baths, various pottery kilns, a foundry, a lime kiln, a stone mason and apparently a large roadhouse. Three cemeteries were located at the edge of the city.
After the dying out of the Flavian family and with the advance of the Limes (pronounced Lie-meez) towards the east, Arae Flaviae rapidly lost its importance. The Orpheus mosaic and the Sol mosaic indicate that Arae Flaviae, at the end of the 2nd century A.D., experienced a rebirth, however, the city was destroyed when the Alemanni hordes invaded in 233 A.D. and the Romans left at the latest between 256 and 260 A.D. The Alemannis then settled in the location of Roman Rottweil. A Christian church was constructed over the ruins of a bath, in what is today Altstadt, and the royal court "rotuvilla" appeared in the place of the fort, in the medieval city.
The Orpheus Mosaic
Already in 1784, a mosaic was discovered between the Neckar and Prim river, at the place called "Hochmauren". But the Orpheus mosaic was only discovered in 1834. Up until 1869, it rested in-situ under a protective roof. The mosaic was then taken first to the Lorenz Chapel, and then the to the city museum and since 1992, it is located there.
The Orpheus mosaic covered the floor of an 8x8 m room. It is comprised of about 570,000 tiles. 9 out of 10 of the tiles come from stone in the vacinity of Rottweil.
The center of the mosaic displays the singer Orpheus who holds a bow and lyre with 5 strings and 9 sound holes; he wears a Phrygian cap. Animals surround him: at his feet lies a dog, across from him one recongnizes a stork. Two birds are depicted on the upper part, a magpie and a crow on a rock. Continguous with the central square, 4 rectangles evoke scenes of chariot races. One makes out in the upper triangles the foot of a virgin here, a chariot driver wearing the victor's crown there. Surrounding the rectangles were ordered trapezoids which displayed hunting scenes; In each case one recognizes a deer hunt with a corresponding wild boar hunt.
The Orpheus mosaic was made during the reign of emperor Marcus Aurelius (161 - 180 A.D.). It's the most important Roman mosaic found in Baden-Württemberg.
On the other important mosaic of Arae Flaviae, la Sol mosaic, one sees Apollo with a brilliant crown and a whip in the company of the heroine Leukothoe. This mosaic dates from approximately 200 A.D. Other traces of mosaics were found at several locations, principaly at the baths next to the cemetery.
Most Relevant Historical Period: Roman Empire > 27 B.C.
Admission Fee: €2.00
Opening days/times:
Tuesday to Sunday - 14:00 - 17:00
Closed Mondays and holidays during the week.
Web Site: [Web Link]
Condition: Partly intact or reconstructed
|
Visit Instructions:
A complete sentence or two or an uploaded photo taken by the waymarker will be required in the log to confirm that the logger is participating in the hobby in good faith. Logs of only a few words like "Visited it" without an original photo are subject to deletion.