Exciting unearthings: A Roman fortification surfaces in the North East
In the picturesque landscapes of Lower Austria, recent archaeological excavations have unearthed a significant find - the Roman bridgehead castle at Stopfenreuth. This discovery marks the first of its kind on Austrian soil, shedding light on the fiercely contested border between the Roman Empire and the Germanic territories during the Marcomannic Wars.
The remains of this castle, known as "Odes Schloss," have been a mystery for a long time. However, recent excavations have revealed stamped bricks of the legions XIV and XV, coins, ceramics, and smaller bronze finds at the "Ode Schloss." These artefacts date the castle to the period of Emperors Marcus Aurelius and Gallienus, providing valuable insights into the region's history during this tumultuous time.
The "Ode Schloss" reveals two construction phases, one around 170 to 180 AD and another around 260 AD. This suggests that the castle played an important role even about 100 years after the Marcomannic Wars. The castle, situated on the Danube, could have served as the gateway to free Germany and the first point of attack in case of invasions on the Roman river side.
The Danube formed the border between the Roman Empire in the south and the Germanic territories in the north, making the "Ode Schloss" a strategic location. The existence of a fixed bridge over the Danube at the site of the castle is doubtful, but there are indications that a pontoon bridge over the Danube existed at this location, connecting the "Ode Schloss" to a bridge called the "Ode Schlossbrücke."
The region of Lower Austria, with the Roman city of Carnuntum, continues to hold important functions as a major transportation route and a center among various realms of power. The next similar castle installation is found in Iža-Leányvára in Slovakia.
The "Ode Schloss" is now undoubtedly confirmed as a bridgehead castle. The conflicts brought emperors Marcus Aurelius and later Gallienus to today's eastern Austria. The representation on the Mark-Aurel-Säule, erected in Rome around the year 190 AD, suggests the bridge construction the "Ode Schloss" belonged to, although a fixed bridge is considered questionable.
The area around the remains in Stopfenreuther Au was speculated to be possible medieval castle ruins or a fortification that could have existed until the "First Turkish War." However, the discovery of the Roman bridgehead castle at Stopfenreuth has rewritten this part of history, offering a glimpse into the Roman Empire's strategic defenses along the Danube.
