The ''Ara Ubiorum'' (Altar of the

Ubii 350px, The Ubii around AD 30 The Ubii were a Germanic tribe first encountered dwelling on the east bank of the Rhine in the time of Julius Caesar, who formed an alliance with them in 55 BC in order to launch attacks across the river. They were ...

) was a Roman sanctuary in the

Oppidum Ubiorum Cologne ( ; ; ) is the largest city of the States of Germany, German state of North Rhine-Westphalia and the List of cities in Germany by population, fourth-most populous city of Germany with nearly 1.1 million inhabitants in the city pr ...

(modern day

Cologne Cologne ( ; ; ) is the largest city of the States of Germany, German state of North Rhine-Westphalia and the List of cities in Germany by population, fourth-most populous city of Germany with nearly 1.1 million inhabitants in the city pr ...

). It was erected in the last decade of the 1st century BC and was dedicated to the goddess

Roma Roma or ROMA may refer to: People, characters, figures, names * Roma or Romani people, an ethnic group living mostly in Europe and the Americas. * Roma called Roy, ancient Egyptian High Priest of Amun * Roma (footballer, born 1979), born ''Paul ...

and the Roman emperor. It was a central location for the Germans conquered by

Augustus Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus (born Gaius Octavius; 23 September 63 BC – 19 August AD 14), also known as Octavian (), was the founder of the Roman Empire, who reigned as the first Roman emperor from 27 BC until his death in A ...

to demonstrate their loyalty to Rome and the Emperor through offerings. Like the '' Ara trium Galliarum'', the altar was the site of the '' concilium provinciae'' ("pronvicial council") for the planned province of

Germania Magna Germania ( ; ), also more specifically called Magna Germania (English: ''Great Germania''), Germania Libera (English: ''Free Germania''), or Germanic Barbaricum to distinguish it from the Roman provinces of Germania Inferior and Germania Super ...

. The priests who serviced the altar were drawn from high-ranking Germans.

History

Tacitus Publius Cornelius Tacitus, known simply as Tacitus ( , ; – ), was a Roman historian and politician. Tacitus is widely regarded as one of the greatest Roman historians by modern scholars. Tacitus’ two major historical works, ''Annals'' ( ...

reports that in AD 9, the

Cherusci The Cherusci were a Germanic tribe that inhabited parts of the plains and forests of northwestern Germania in the area of the Weser River and present-day Hanover during the first centuries BC and AD. Roman sources reported they considered thems ...

prince

Segimundus Julius Segimundus was a nobleman of the Germanic peoples, Germanic Cherusci, a son of Segestes who was a close ally of the Roman Empire. They were followers of the Imperial cult of ancient Rome, imperial cult of Augustus. In this context, Segimund ...

was serving at the altar. When he learnt of the defeat of

Publius Quinctilius Varus Publius Quinctilius Varus (46 BC or before – September AD 9) was a Roman general and politician. Serving under Augustus, who founded the Roman Empire, he is generally remembered for having lost three Roman legions in the Battle of the Teutob ...

in the

Battle of the Teutoburg Forest The Battle of the Teutoburg Forest, also called the Varus Disaster or Varian Disaster () by Ancient Rome, Roman historians, was a major battle fought between an alliance of Germanic peoples and the Roman Empire between September 8 and 11, 9&nbs ...

, Segimundus is meant to have ripped the priestly headband from his head and fled over the

Rhine The Rhine ( ) is one of the List of rivers of Europe, major rivers in Europe. The river begins in the Swiss canton of Graubünden in the southeastern Swiss Alps. It forms part of the Swiss-Liechtenstein border, then part of the Austria–Swit ...

to Germany in order to join the war effort. After the abandonment of the territories on the right bank of the Rhine in AD 16, the sanctuary lost its regional significance. It continued to be maintained in Roman Cologne.

Location

The ''Ara Ubiorum'' must have been located in a significant and highly visible spot, but we lose track of it in later Roman Cologne (

Colonia Claudia Ara Agrippinensium Colonia Claudia Ara Agrippinensium was the Roman colony in the Rhineland from which the city of Cologne, now in Germany, developed. It was usually called ''Colonia'' (colony) and was the capital of the Roman province of Germania Inferior and ...

). The Oppidum Ubiorum was located within the walls erected after the founding of the '' colonia'', probably on the main street of the Roman city, which ran through the

forum Forum or The Forum may refer to: Common uses *Forum (legal), designated space for public expression in the United States *Forum (Roman), open public space within a Roman city **Roman Forum, most famous example * Internet forum, discussion board ...

. This means that the altar probably was located in the area of and , which archaeological evidence also supports.Eck 2004, pp.88f.

References

Bibliography

Werner Eck Werner Eck (born 17 December 1939) is professor of Ancient History at Cologne University, Germany, and a noted expert on the history and epigraphy of imperial Rome.Eck, W. (2007) ''The Age of Augustus''. 2nd ed. Oxford: Blackwell, cover notes. Hi ...

: ''Köln in römischer Zeit. Geschichte einer Stadt im Rahmen des Imperium Romanum''. Köln 2004, , pp. 86ff. * Rudolf Haensch: ''Das römische Köln als „Hauptstadt“ der Provinz Germania inferior.'' In: Geschichte in Köln 33, 1993. pp. 5–40. {{Authority control Religious buildings and structures in Cologne Ancient Roman buildings and structures in Germany