Germany

Germany

History

From the beginning of the 2nd century to the mid 3rd century the Upper Germanic Rhaetian Limes (=Latin for path, property line) in the northern provinces of the Roman Empire (Upper Germania and Rhaetia) formed the outside border of the Germanic tribal areas.

It runs from the cities Rheinbrohl am Rhein (Rhine River) to Eining an der Donau (Danube) by way of today’s federal states Rhineland-Palatinate, Hesse, Baden-Wuerttemberg and Bavaria.

First set up as guarded track with watchtowers, the Limes was gradually extended with palisades, banks and trenches and in parts fortified with walls. The forts attracted traders and craftsmen who settled in front of the fort walls, just as the soldiers´ families.

By the middle of the 3rd century the Teutonic invasions, expeditions in the East of the Roman empire and civil wars resulted in the abandonment of the Upper Germanic Rhaetian Limes. The Limes existed for 160 years before Rome withdrawed its troops from the right bank of the Rhine.

Today the Limes, 550 km in length, with its 900 watchtowers and about 120 forts is the largest ground monument in Europe still visible in parts.