Castra Vetera
Sign in to savethumb|Location of the legionary camps of Vetera and Colonia Ulpia Traiana along the course of the Lower Germanic Limes Vetera (also Vetera Castra; sometimes in older literature, on maps, and colloquially also Castra Vetera) was the name of the location of two successive Roman legionary camps in the province of Germania Inferior near present-day Xanten on the Lower Rhine. The legionary camps of Vetera were part of the Lower Germanic Limes and were declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2021.
Key facts
- Ancient site.name
- Vetera II
- Ancient site.alternate_name
- Veteribus, Veteris
- Ancient site.location
- Xanten-Bislicher Insel
- Ancient site.region
- Germania Inferior
- Ancient site.type
- Legionary camp
- Ancient site.part_of
- Lower Germanic Limes
- Ancient site.area
- Unknown
- Ancient site.material
- Stone
- Ancient site.built
- 71 CE
- Ancient site.abandoned
- 3rd century CE
- Ancient site.occupants
- a) Legio XXII Primigenia b) Legio VI Victrix c) Legio XXX Ulpia Victrix
- Ancient site.condition
- non-visible ground monument
- Ancient site.notes
- Preceded by Burginatium (to the north-west); followed by Wesel-Büderich fort (to the east); next to Vetera II (to the east; later).
via Wikipedia infobox
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Encyclopedic overview
21 sectionsContents
- Geographical position
- Antiquity sources and name of the fort site
- Research history
- Historical background
- ''Vetera I''
- Legionary camp
- Augustean-Tiberian period
- Claudian-Neronian period (41-68)
- ''Vetera'' during the Year of the Four Emperors (69) and the Revolt of the Batavi (69/70)
- ''Canabae Legionis'', amphitheatre and burial grounds
- ''Vetera II''
- Features and findings
- Occupation
- Legionary brickworks
- Training camp around Xanten
- Heritage protection
- See also
- Notes
- References
- Bibliography
- External links
thumb|Location of the legionary camps of Vetera and Colonia Ulpia Traiana along the course of the Lower Germanic Limes Vetera (also Vetera Castra; sometimes in older literature, on maps, and colloquially also Castra Vetera) was the name of the location of two successive Roman legionary camps in the province of Germania Inferior near present-day Xanten on the Lower Rhine. The legionary camps of Vetera were part of the Lower Germanic Limes and were declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2021.
Research and scholarly literature distinguish between the older fort site Vetera I (13/12 BCE to 70 CE) and the younger fort site Vetera II (71 to at least the 3rd century). These sites were located approximately one Roman mile (mille passus = just under 1500 m) apart. Vetera was one of the most significant garrisons on the northern flank of the Roman Empire. In its early days, it was an essential deployment base for the Romans' expansion efforts on the right bank of the Rhine. Vetera I is currently situated on undeveloped land in the urban area of Xanten, while Vetera II is located up to ten metres below the surface of a quarry pond.
Excerpted from Wikipedia’s “Castra Vetera” article, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.
Gallery (17)
On the map
12 mapped locations