A Burnt Layer from the Marcomannic Wars in Flavia Solva

The connection of event-historical data and archaeological features or their interpretation has been a central research concern since the beginnings of the archaeology of the Roman provinces. The affiliation of Roman provincial archaeology with the historical sciences or the historical cultural sciences has also been confirmed by different researchers (R. Fellmann, M. K. H. Eggert). For the history of the Danube provinces, the Marcomannic Wars (166180 AD) of Marc Aurel constitute a significant and crucial chronology of historic events during the second half of the 2nd century AD. The topic of this publication deals with the consequences of these wars and their evidence in the archaeological sources. Regarding the historic events of the Marcomannic Wars, the Germanic invasion as far as Upper Italy which probably took place during the year 170 AD is the centerpiece of the examination. Concerning the archaeological sources, the attention focuses on an almost contemporary burnt layer (chapter Chronology) in the Insula XLI of the South- Eastern Noric Municipium Flavia Solva. This research paper is a two-level approach of the connection of the mentioned event history and the archaeological evidences. The first concrete level introduces the burnt feature of Insula XLI and evaluates it in detail in order to illustrate in a well-founded way the following usage of the feature as a case study for the different methodical problems in connection with the topic. In order to create a comprehensible starting position for these advanced considerations, it is necessary to take a close look at the historic background, its written sources of antique writers (chapter Historical Context) and to examine critically some historical interpretations of the classical and ancient studies regarding the consequences of the Marcomannic Wars, in particular in connection with the case study Flavia Solva-Wagna (chapter Research History). An additional precondition for the evaluation and interpretation of the feature is the analysis of the genesis of the existing archaeological sources regarding their archaeological recovery and processing (chapter Critical Assessment of Sources) and the interpretation and reconstruction of depositional and post-depositional processes (chapter Taphonomy). Only these preparatory considerations allow the further methodically clean evaluation and interpretation of the features (chapter Architecture of Insula XLI, Definition of Activity Zones) and the findings (chapter Evaluation of Findings, Technology and Workshops). All essential data of the findings are noted in a detailed catalogue (chapter Catalogue). Thereby, a basis for an assessment and documentation of cultural-historical framework conditions is finally created (chapter The Burnt Layer of Insula XLI in the Urban Cultural-Historical Context of Flavia Solva). A comparison with statements made on the occasion of the connection of archaeological features in particular in the western Danube provinces with the Marcomannic Wars (chapter Fire Destructions from the Period of the Marcomannic Wars in Noricum, Pannonia and Raetia) illustrates different research assessments of the sources. Significant methodical problems and uncertainties emerge which can be created in connection with the heterogeneous sources, especially the connection of archaeological features with historical events. Finally, this research paper intends to go beyond the first interpretation level concentrated in particular on the existing case study and enable considerations on a second, abstract level. However, at first it will be discussed in connection with the existing case study to what extent the results of the evaluation of the archaeological feature can be combined with the context of the event history. A catalogue of premises whose fulfillment or non-fulfillment speaks for or against such a connection becomes at the same time a landmark instrument for the adjustment of possible options of historical interpretation (discussion: chapter Results and their Relation to the Historical Context). Finally, the methods of perception of classical and ancient disciplines concerning the connection of archaeological features and historical events are examined in the framework of a perspective (chapter Perspective: The Problem of the Historicity within Roman Provincial Archaeology). This differentiated approach of the topic guarantees that the existing source material is utilized as completely as possible and that the subject is not only enriched with the presentation of an additional important closed feature and its interpretation but beyond that experiences a methodical contribution to the specific and central problem of the connection of archaeological features with the historical event.