From military camp to civilian settlement - The western periphery of Brigantium

During the years 2009/2010 two excavations took place on the so-called "Böckle" grounds in Bregenz at the western end of the Roman settlement on the Ölrain plateau. They were the first in Bregenz to employ modern methods using stratigraphic orientation, guaranteeing ideal conditions for the study of the settlement`s development. The archaeological work on the site with a total measurement of 5,821 sq.m revealed several stratigraphically consecutive settlement phases to the south as well as north of the Roman main road, whereby the discovery of two v-shaped ditches from a military camp from the Early Imperial Era deserve special attention. The study of the excavation`s structures and finds at the site will greatly increase the knowledge about the settlement`s development and history in Brigantium in the Early and beginning of the Middle Imperial Era. For the first time, comprehensive Roman finds from Bregenz can be analysed stratigraphically, meaning the finds can be attributed to the different building periods and therefore dated absolute chronologically. Especially relevant scientific aims of the project are the clarification of the building period of the three stone buildings on the site, the dating of the destruction horizon underneath them, the study of the excavated finds at the military camp dating from the Early Imperial Era, as well as the publication of a basic pottery catalogue for Brigantium using the association of the course pottery with the accurately dateable finds. In addition to the archaeological analysis of the building structures and small finds, concentrating mainly on the reconstruction and chronology of the building history of the site, archaeozoological, palaeobotanical, archaeometallurgical and pottery examinations should be carried out in order to obtain important supplementary information on the living and working conditions of the inhabitants of Brigantium. The expected project results pertaining to the settlement`s development and chronology are not only of great interest to the local archaeological landscape in Vorarlberg, but also provide important references for research on the Roman Era in the neighboring Swiss and German regions. After all, Brigantium is one of the most important settlements in Rhaetia - especially in the early period of the province. In addition, the Vorarlberger Landesmuseum (State Museum) can profit from the newest scientific knowledge in its displaying of the Roman history of Vorarlberg by the newly planned permanent exhibition and continuous tours through Roman Bregenz.

The FWF-project From military camp to civilian settlement The western periphery of Brigantium dealt with excavations of the Roman settlement on the Ölrain plateau in Bregenz. The most important result of this project is the proof of three subsequent military camps respectively forts dating in the 1st half of the 1st cent. AD. Best preserved of all military phases were the structures appertaining to the youngest fort. Of this fort respectively its southwestern edge area, two defensive ditches, parts of the timber gate in the form of massive post-holes, foundation ditches of the timber-revetted rampart and also interior buildings could be identified. The military features are accompanied by 82 small finds of military character, attesting the presence of Roman soldiers on the excavation area. As the title of the project indicates, special attention was also paid to the archaeological remains of the various processes, which designate the transition from military to civilian assignation of the excavation area. Starting point for this was a well-preserved wooden substruction dendrochronologically dated to 44/45 AD, which is integrated into the main thoroughfare of the first civilian settlement phase. Both the wood material itself (boards and tetragonal beams) and the predominantly early dendrochronological dates argue for a secondary use of construction timber originating from the systematic dismantling of the fort. Other remnants of this process are massive levelling and burnt layers under the structures of the first civilian settlement phase. The scientific issue of the transition of a military base into a civilian settlement in the archaeological record led to an International Symposium organised by the project members the papers of this event are already published. After the withdrawal of the Roman troops from Brigantium, the excavation area was occupied by civilian buildings in timber and stone. The latter ones existed only northwest of the Roman main road and were separated by the preceding timber houses by a massive debris layer consisting of charcoal and burned clay walls. Based on the numerous finds from this layer of special relevance in this context are the form range and the potter stamps of the Terra Sigillata , the end of the civilian timber building phase on the parcels concerned can be dated in the years around 70 AD. Considering the mention of a burnt rubble layer of the same period in several reports on other excavations in Bregenz and the postulate of destruction levels of the civil war years 68/69 AD in other settlements of Raetia and neighbouring regions, this result can contribute to further studies on this field of research. The end of the Roman occupation on the excavation area is difficult to determine due to recent disturbances of the original youngest layers. The find material from the youngest stratified contexts can be dated to the early respectively middle 2nd cent. AD. The few formally younger finds derive from superficial and disturbed layers.