Vindobona

History

Towards 15 av. J. - C., the kingdom Norique is annexed to the Roman Empire, the the Danube becomes the natural border of the empire and the Romains start to strengthen the edges of the river. The geographer Ptolémée mentions Vindobona in his Atlas Geographike Hyphegesis (towards 150). The Roman historian Aurelius Victor note that the emperor Marc Aurel had his general headquarter with Vindobona at the time of the wars against the Marcomans and there is deceased the March 17th 180. Close to the Hoher Markt in Vienna there exists still nowadays a street Marc Aurel.

At the time Roman, Vindobona belongs to the province of Pannonia whose chief town is Carnuntum. It is a military camp with a civil dwelling at side ( Canabae ). On the other side of the the Danube develops a Germanic city during the 2nd century.

The plan asymmetrical - and not very typical for a Roman camp - of Vindobona is still visible today while following the course of the streets: Graben, Naglergasse, Tiefer Graben, Salzgries, Rabensteig, Rotenturmstrasse. The name of “Graben” (“Ditch”) probably returns to the ditch which surrounded the military camp. It is probable that part of the Roman enclosure still exists with the Moyen-âge when the streets develop and who thus influenced the course of the streets. The Berghof will be built at the end of the Roman camp at the 13th century. Many a villae rusticae in the neighborhoods ensures the provisioning of Vindobona.

In 212, Vindobona is high with the row of municipium what reinforces its position vis-a-vis Carnuntum, capital of the province of Pannonia which had just received the title of colonia .

Vindobona remains between the hands of the Romains until the 5th century when the Germanic Migrations disturb peace. The site will however not be abandoned and will develop in the centuries to come in European Métropole .

Archaeological excavations

The traces of old the Roman Camp of Vindobona are numerous. The center of the Michaelerplatz was the object of several archaeological excavations . Here one found remainders of the suburbs of the Roman camp ( canabae legionis ) as well as a Carrefour. The heart of the current place by the architect Hans Hollein watch of the remainders of the walls of different times and is at the same time a monument for the archaeological excavations.

Under the principal building of the Firemen amndt Hof , the excavations updated part of the Roman Canalisation.

With the Hoher Markt , with the height of the “Puit of the marriage” ( Vermählungsbrunnen ), is the entry of a small exposure of Roman foundations of the districts of the officers.

Sources

Michaela Kronberger, “Siedlungschronologische Forschungen zu den canabae legionis von Vindobona. Die Gräberfelder” in Monographien der Stadtarchäologie Wien vol. 1 , Phoibos, Vienna, 2005.
Christine Ranseder e.a., “Michaelerplatz. Die archäologischen Ausgrabungen. ” in Wien Archäologisch 1 , Vienna, 2006

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