Colonia Ulpia Traiana (sometimes called "Castra Vetera") was a colonia in the Roman province of

Germania inferior ''Germania Inferior'' ("Lower Germania") was a Roman province from AD 85 until the province was renamed ''Germania Secunda'' in the 4th century AD, on the west bank of the Rhine bordering the North Sea. The capital of the province was Colonia Cl ...

, founded by emperor

Trajan Trajan ( ; born Marcus Ulpius Traianus, 18 September 53) was a Roman emperor from AD 98 to 117, remembered as the second of the Five Good Emperors of the Nerva–Antonine dynasty. He was a philanthropic ruler and a successful soldier ...

. It was located in the area of today's

Xanten Xanten (, Low Rhenish: ''Santen'') is a town in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is located in the district of Wesel. Xanten is known for the Archaeological Park, one of the largest archaeological open air museums in the ...

History

First camp

First settlements in the area by isolated tribes can be dated around the year 2000 BC. Around 15 BC the

Roman Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of Roman civilization *Epistle to the Romans, shortened to Romans, a letter w ...

castrum ''Castra'' () is a Latin language, Latin term used during the Roman Republic and Roman Empire for a military 'camp', and ''castrum'' () for a 'Fortification, fort'. Either could refer to a building or plot of land, used as a fortified milita ...

'' (legio camp) was created near modern-day Birten, not far away from the

Rhine river The Rhine ( ) is one of the 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 Swiss-Austrian border. From Lake Cons ...

. It was intended as a base for campaigns into

Germania 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 Superio ...

, and until its destruction during the

Revolt of the Batavi The Revolt of the Batavi took place in the Roman province of Germania Inferior ("Lower Germania") between AD 69 and 70. It was an uprising against the Roman Empire started by the Batavi, a small but militarily powerful Germanic tribe that inhab ...

in 70 AD, it was occupied by 8,000 to 10,000 legionnaries. Bislicher Insel Wasser

It was also called "''Castra Vetera''", and was the main base of the Classis Germanica, because it used an inlet (now called "Bislicher insel") created by the old course of the Rhine river. The headquarters of this Classis were established in 12 BC by

Drusus Drusus may refer to: * Gaius Livius Drusus (jurist), son of the Roman consul of 147 BC * Marcus Livius Drusus (consul) (155–108 BC), opponent of populist reformer Gaius Gracchus * Marcus Livius Drusus (reformer) (died 91 BC), whose assassinatio ...

Cleere (1977), p. 16 and controlled the

: it was mainly a fluvial fleet, although it also operated in the

North Sea The North Sea lies between Great Britain, Denmark, Norway, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, and France. A sea on the European continental shelf, it connects to the Atlantic Ocean through the English Channel in the south and the Norwegian Se ...

. After 30 AD, the fleet moved its main base to the castrum of Alteburg, some 4 km south of ''

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 ...

'' (modern Cologne).

Second camp

After the destruction of ''Vetera'' a second camp became established inside the river inset, named ''Castra Vetera II'', which became the base camp of

Legio VI Victrix Legio VI Victrix ("Victorious Sixth Legion") was a legion of the Imperial Roman army founded in 41 BC by the general Octavian (who, as Augustus, later became Rome's first emperor). It was the twin legion of VI ''Ferrata'' and perhaps held vet ...

. The actual name of the local small city of Birten comes from the "germanization" of the pronunciation of the Latin word "Vetera".

Colonia

A few decades later a nearby created settlement, which was inhabited by 10,000 to 15,000 former legionnaries with their families and others (mainly German & Celtic civilians in the

canabae A (plural ) was the Latin term for a hut or hovel and was later (from the time of Hadrian) used typically to mean a town that emerged as a civilian settlement () in the vicinity of a Roman legionary fortress (). A settlement that grew up outs ...

), was given the rights of a colonia: in 110 AD the Roman emperor Marcus Ulpius

Traianus Trajan ( ; born Marcus Ulpius Traianus, 18 September 53) was a Roman emperor from AD 98 to 117, remembered as the second of the Five Good Emperors of the Nerva–Antonine dynasty. He was a philanthropic ruler and a successful soldier ...

renamed the town ''Colonia Ulpia Traiana''. He gave his own name to the settlement and elevated the city to the privileges of the status of "Roman colonia" (that only 150 other cities in the Roman empire obtained). The colonia was a completely new town with a huge defensive wall and other important buildings, like an amphitheater. For this town the old castrum settlement was completely abandoned. The colonia became the second most important commercial post in the province of

Germania Inferior ''Germania Inferior'' ("Lower Germania") was a Roman province from AD 85 until the province was renamed ''Germania Secunda'' in the 4th century AD, on the west bank of the Rhine bordering the North Sea. The capital of the province was Colonia Cl ...

, surpassed only by ''Colonia Agrippinensis'' (today's

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 ...

). In 122 AD, ''Vetera II'' became the camp of

Legio XXX Ulpia Victrix Legio XXX Ulpia Victrix ("Trajan's Victorious Thirtieth Legion") was a legion of the Imperial Roman army. Their emblems were the gods Neptune and Jupiter and the Capricorn. '' Ulpia'' is Trajan's own ''gens'', while the cognomen "''Victrix''" mea ...

, replacing VI Victrix which had moved to

Britannia The image of Britannia () is the national personification of United Kingdom, Britain as a helmeted female warrior holding a trident and shield. An image first used by the Romans in classical antiquity, the Latin was the name variously appli ...

. Colonia Ulpia Traiana was defended by huge walls 3.4 km long and with 22 towers During the whole 2nd and the first half of the 3rd century this Roman colony was involved into a continuing process of urbanization and architectural improvement. The Roman Baths were built by

Hadrian Hadrian ( ; ; 24 January 76 – 10 July 138) was Roman emperor from 117 to 138. Hadrian was born in Italica, close to modern Seville in Spain, an Italic peoples, Italic settlement in Hispania Baetica; his branch of the Aelia gens, Aelia '' ...

around 125 AD, with a big Port Temple. But the huge complex of

Thermae In ancient Rome, (from Greek , "hot") and (from Greek ) were facilities for bathing. usually refers to the large Roman Empire, imperial public bath, bath complexes, while were smaller-scale facilities, public or private, that existed i ...

(that comprised hot, warm and cold baths, changing rooms, and saunas) was destroyed in 275 AD. Recent archaeological excavations in the area of the Capitolium-temple, Harbor-temple, Roman Baths and Forum brought numerous fragments of veneering slabs of

marble Marble is a metamorphic rock consisting of carbonate minerals (most commonly calcite (CaCO3) or Dolomite (mineral), dolomite (CaMg(CO3)2) that have recrystallized under the influence of heat and pressure. It has a crystalline texture, and is ty ...

to light, which once lavishly decorated walls and floors of these public buildings. Limes1-it

In 275 AD the colonia was almost destroyed by Germanic tribes. Subsequently, in 310 AD in the area of the colonia a new town was established, named ''Tricensimae'' ("of the Thirtieth"), which was built on the nine central '' insula'' of the former colonia but fortified and more easily defended. However at the beginning of the fifth century, assaults by Germanic tribes (mainly the

Franks file:Frankish arms.JPG, Aristocratic Frankish burial items from the Merovingian dynasty The Franks ( or ; ; ) were originally a group of Germanic peoples who lived near the Rhine river, Rhine-river military border of Germania Inferior, which wa ...

) rapidly increased, with the result that ''Tricensimae'' was finally given up. Meanwhile, in 363 AD, during the reign of Julian, the Christian

Viktor of Xanten Viktor of Xanten was a 4th century martyr and saint recognized by the Roman Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church. Since the 12th century, his presumed bones have been kept in a shrine, which is embedded in the high altar of the Xanten C ...

is supposed to have been executed together with 360 other members of the

Theban Legion The Theban Legion (also known as the Martyrs of Agaunum) figures in Christianity, Christian hagiography as a Roman legion from Roman Egypt, Egypt —"six thousand six hundred and sixty-six men" — consisting of Christian soldiers who were marty ...

near the modern town of Birten for refusing to sacrifice to the Roman gods. Considered a

martyr A martyr (, ''mártys'', 'witness' Word stem, stem , ''martyr-'') is someone who suffers persecution and death for advocating, renouncing, or refusing to renounce or advocate, a religious belief or other cause as demanded by an external party. In ...

and a

saint In Christianity, Christian belief, a saint is a person who is recognized as having an exceptional degree of sanctification in Christianity, holiness, imitation of God, likeness, or closeness to God in Christianity, God. However, the use of the ...

by the

Roman Catholic Church The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...

as well as the

Eastern Orthodox Church The Eastern Orthodox Church, officially the Orthodox Catholic Church, and also called the Greek Orthodox Church or simply the Orthodox Church, is List of Christian denominations by number of members, one of the three major doctrinal and ...

, Viktor of Xanten is commemorated in

Xanten Cathedral Xanten Cathedral (), sometimes called St. Victor's Cathedral (), is a Catholic church situated in Xanten, a historic town in the lower Rhine area, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is considered the biggest cathedral between Cologne and the sea ...

, where his

relic In religion, a relic is an object or article of religious significance from the past. It usually consists of the physical remains or personal effects of a saint or other person preserved for the purpose of veneration as a tangible memorial. Reli ...

s are kept in a shrine embedded in the high altar.

Post-Roman era

Around 440 AD the city was definitively abandoned by the

Roman Empire The Roman Empire ruled the Mediterranean and much of Europe, Western Asia and North Africa. The Roman people, Romans conquered most of this during the Roman Republic, Republic, and it was ruled by emperors following Octavian's assumption of ...

, who moved most of the remaining inhabitants to the area of

Augusta Treverorum Augusta Treverorum (Latin for "City of Augustus in the Land of the Treveri") was a Ancient Rome, Roman city on the Moselle River, from which modern Trier emerged. The date of the city's founding is placed between the construction of the first Rom ...

. In the second half of the fifth century, the

began to settle in the area (mixing with the small surviving Romanized population), but no urban settlements have been found from this time as the Franks did not build in stone, unlike the Romans. In the second half of the 8th century a church was built on the grounds of an old cemetery of the ancient Roman colony and called ''Sanctos'' (super Rhenum) (also mentioned as "Ad Sanctum"). The name of "place of saints" was derived from the assumed grave of the martyr Viktor of Xanten and is the source of today's municipal name of

. An "Archaeologischer Park" (archeological park) with a reconstructed amphitheater was established in the place where Colonia Ulpia Traiana existed.Aerial view of the archeological park
/ref>

Gallery

File:Archaeologischer Park Xanten-Arena.JL.jpg, Rebuilt Amphitheater in the "Archaeologischer Park" File:Stadium (2) (archaeological park Xanten, Germany, 2005-04-23).jpg, Actual Stadium in rebuilt Amphitheater File:Römerfest Xanten.jpg, 2003 "Romerfest" in "Stadium" of rebuilt Amphitheater File:Praefurnium (2) (thermae, archaeological park Xanten, Germany, 2005-04-23).jpg, Thermae section File:Heating system (archaeological park Xanten, Germany, 2005-04-23).jpg, Heating system in Roman buildings File:Floor tiles (thermae, archaeological park Xanten, Germany, 2005-04-23).jpg, Thermae floor tiles File:Model of the Town Baths, Xanten, Germany (8178240494).jpg, Model of the Roman Baths File:Harbor temple (1) (archaeological park Xanten, Germany, 2005-04-23).jpg, Rebuilt "Harbor Temple" in the "Archaeologischer Park" File:Forumsbasilika remains (archaeological park Xanten, Germany, 2005-04-23).jpg, Remains of "Basilica" File:Plinio praefecto.jpg, Pliny the Elder's inscribed phalera File:City wall (1) (archaeological park Xanten, Germany, 2005-04-23).jpg, Roman walls in the "Archaeologischer Park" File:Main gate (archaeological park Xanten, Germany, 2005-04-23).jpg, Small Gate in the "Archaeologischer Park" File:Ausgrabungsstelle Tempel der Matronen (Xanten) rIMG 5445.jpg, Temple of the Matrons (excavation)) File:Corn mill (archaeological park Xanten, Germany, 2005-04-23).jpg, Corn Mill (reconstruction) File:Xanten, Germany (8178270837).jpg, Main Gate in the Archaeologischer Park" File:Xanten Wasserleitung.jpg, Aqueduct in the "Archaeologischer Park" File:Colonia Ulpia Traiana, Xanten - römische Herberge - Porticus (11214579185).jpg, Porticus of reconstructed Roman house File:CVT Herberge Triclinum.jpg, Reconstructed "Triclinum" File:CVT APX Herberge Schlafraum 02.jpg, Reconstructed mansion bedroom File:CVT APX Herberge Küche 01.jpg, Reconstructed Roman kitchen File:Gravestone Reburrus Xanten 230.jpg, Gravestone of equites "Reburrus"

Notes

Bibliography

* * Ohlig,Christoph. ''Die Wasserleitung zur Colonia Ulpia Trajana''. Deutsche Wasserhistorische Gesellschaft, Siegburg 2007, , * Otten, Thomas. ''Colonia Ulpia Traiana. Xanten und sei Umland in römischer Zeit''. Editorial Müller. Maguncia, 2008 * * Webster, Graham. ''The Roman Imperial Army of the First and Second Centuries AD'', University of Oklahoma Press. Oklahoma, 1998 {{Roman colonies in Europe Germany in the Roman era Roman towns and cities in Germany Coloniae (Roman)