WormsBorbetomagusCivitasVgrijs.gif/TITLE> </HEAD> <BODY background="../../../home/grijs.gif" LINK="#0000ff" VLINK="#800080"> <h1>Worms-<em>Borbetomagus</em>, capital of the <em>civitas Vangionum </em></h1> <p>See this text in <a href="wormsborbetomaguscivitasvangionum.htm"> <img src="../../../home/de.gif" width="16" height="16" border="0"></a></p> <h2>Foundation and structure</h2> <p>The date of the foundation of the <em>civitas Vangionum</em> is unclear, although if it was linked to the withdrawal of the military from the local fort, the earliest date for its creation would be the Flavian period (after 69 AD). There are no indications that the Vangiones had a predecessor settlement in the vicinity and little can be said about the further development of the town because few modern excavations have taken place.</p> <h2><br> The Military Installation</h2> <p>A pre-Flavian Roman fort can be postulated in Worms particularly on the basis of the grave stones of members of several legions and auxiliary units from the first half of the 1<sup>st</sup> century AD. Moreover, V-shaped ditches have been found in Worms-Horchheim and Worms-Leiselheim. There is a lack of finds above flood level, elsewhere on the high river terraces and so an Augustan military installation has been presumed to underlie the modern city, </p> <h2><br> The town and its structure</h2> <p>The road network was only partially orthogonal, with the putative forum located at the intersection of the main roads. The comparatively long and narrow occupied area (c. (1400m x 400 m) had an area of c. 42 ha, but a city wall was only built in late Roman times. <br> <a href="worms001_engl.htm"><br> <img src="worms001a.jpg" width="116" height="188" border="0"></a> Plan of the Roman settlement with reconstructed street grid</p> <h2></h2> <h2>Public buildings and Infrastructure</h2> <p>One of the few coherent structures is a large building under the cathedral. It is interpreted as a forum with market basilica (c. 50 x 30 m) and walling discovered further west was possibly part of the a temple to Jupiter.<br> <a href="worms002_engl.htm"><br> <img src="worms002a.jpg" width="100" height="56" border="0"></a> Reconstructed plan of the forum</p> <p>A building complex in the eastern part of the settlement (Schönauer Straße), which contained military brick stamps, may also have had a public or official function. However, only a part of the building, containing a courtyard flanked by rooms, is known. </p> <p>An honorific arch or gate, whose remains can no longer be located, is known through a medieval copy of a Roman inscription. <br> </p> <h2><br> Residential buildings</h2> <p>Our knowledge of residential structures is limited to a very few observations. A ground plan from the north-eastern part of the town (St. Paul) suggests a well appointed house with internal courtyard (27 x 15 m). It contained hypocausts and wall paintings and provided dating evidence covering the 1<sup>st</sup> to 4<sup>th</sup> centuries AD. </p> <table width="86%" border="0" align="center"> <tr> <td width="52%"><div align="center"><a href="worms003_engl.htm"> <img src="worms003a.jpg" width="100" height="91" border="0"></a></div></td> <td width="48%"><div align="center"><a href="worms004_engl.htm"> <img src="worms004a.jpg" width="100" height="69" border="0"></a></div></td> </tr> <tr> <td><div align="center">Plan of a Roman house (St. Paul Phase 1)</div></td> <td><div align="center">Model of a Roman house (St. Paul Phase 1)</div></td> </tr> </table> <p> Pottery kilns have been found to the south of the town.</p> <p><br> <strong>Harbour</strong><br> A river harbour is proposed for the area of St.Paul, but no supporting evidence is known.</p> <p><strong>Museum</strong><br> Roman finds are on display in the Museum der Stadt, Worms.</p> <p>Text: Thomas Schmidts <br> </p> <h2><br> Select bibliography</h2> <p>W. Boppert, Römische Steindenkmäler aus Worms und Umgebung. Corpus Signorum Imperii Romani, Deutschland II,10 (Mainz 1998).</p> <p>M. Grünewald, Die Römer in Worms (Stuttgart 1986).</p> <p>M. Grünewald in: Die Römer in Rheinland-Pfalz (Stuttgart 1990) 673-679.</p> <p>M. Grünewald, Neue Thesen zu den Wormser Stadtmauern. Mit Exkursen zur Mauerbauordnung und der Vita Burchardi sowie Bemerkungen zur Lage des Wormser Hafens. Mannheimer Geschichtsblätter N. F. 8, 2001, 11-44. </p> <p>M. Grünewald/K. Vogt, Spätrömisches Worms. Grabungen an der Stiftskirche St. Paul in Worms (III.). Wormsgau 20, 2001, 7-26. </p> <p>M. Grünewald/K. Vogt, Römische Häuser in Worms. Grabungen an der Stiftskirche St. Paul in Worms IV. In: Haus und Siedlung in den römischen Nordwestprovinzen. Grabungsbefund, Architektur, Ausstattung (Homburg/Saar 2002).</p> </BODY> </HTML>