bavarikon4UManching and Oberstimm in Roman Times
After the collapse of economy and trade around the middle of the first century BC, Celtic Manching was slowly deserted. Not directly on the site of the Oppidum, but a little further west, the Romans built the Oberstimm fort in c.45/50 AD. It was built at the intersection of two important traffic routes: the south-north connection led from the foothills of the Alps over the Danube, the west-east connection or south-Danube road followed the former Celtic route south of the river and led through today's Manching.
At the beginning, the camp was about 1.4h in size. The western front was protected by the Brautlach and by a simple ditch, the remaining three sides by double ditches. The fortifications consisted of an earth and wood wall. The interior of this first phase was constructed of wood. The crew was made up of a mixed unit of legionaries and auxiliary troops.
In the vicinity of the fort a village (vicus) with a market place was built, in its West an urnfield. During the year of the Three Emperors (69/70 AD), the fort was probably abandoned and then occupied by only one small unit until the 80s. In the second phase, central buildings with stone foundations were erected and the fort was enlarged to 1.66h. The garrison now consisted of a rider unit.
With the establishment of the Limes as the northern border, the fort was no longer needed. The military withdrew in the 120s, while the vicus continued to exist.
For the use of the former oppidum area in Roman times there are a few references from the second and third centuries. A small vicus was built on the Donau-Süd-Strasse, possibly with a mansio (stopping place on a Roman road) in the centre of the ring wall. However, traces are difficult to separate archaeologically from the Celtic ones, since in Roman times the buildings were constructed in the same post-in-ground construction method as in the Celtic period. The settlement is identified with Vallatum, a stopping place that is transmitted in the Itinerarium Antonini and in the Notitia Dignitatum. Within the ring wall, cremation burials and treasure troves, among other things, prove the Roman presence.
In addition to a depot of iron equipment, the Manching silver treasure and a depot of weapons, parts of armour and diverse equipment were also discovered. These troves were hidden and can be linked to the crisis around the middle of the third century.
The other find groups of the "Archaeological finds from Manching" available in bavarikon
>> These finds are part of the "Archaeological finds from Manching" of the holdings of "Archaeological Findings" of the Archäologische Staatssammlung München (Archaeological Collection of the Bavarian State).