Römerlager Hedemünden - Hann. Münden, NS-DE
N 51° 23.766 E 009° 44.318
32U E 551386 N 5694133
The Roman camp Hedemünden is considered to be an early Roman fortification, the remains of which are located near the lower reaches of the Werra on the now wooded castle hill on the edge of Hedemünden, a district of Hann. Mündens, in Lower Saxony.
Waymark Code: WM13C1G
Location: Niedersachsen, Germany
Date Posted: 11/04/2020
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According to archaeological studies, the rich finds of Roman origin suggest a Roman military camp at the time of the birth of Christ.
Along with Kalkriese, the Bentumersiel site, the Roman marching camp of Wilkenburg and the Harzhorn site, it is one of the few Roman sites in Lower Saxony.
The Roman camp Hedemünden is located about 1.8 kilometers northwest of the center of Hedemünden on the plateau of the Burgberg, which is 215 meters above sea level, a largely wooded elevation on the north bank of the Werra. Opposite on the other side of the river is the Kaufunger Wald. At this point, with a river valley about 250 meters wide, the large landscapes of the north Hessian Fulda-Werra-Bergland meet with the Leine-Weser-Bergland in southern Lower Saxony.
The castle hill with the forest area of the Sudholzes lies in a landscape in which the Werra valley widens into an approximately 3 × 3 kilometer basin near Hedemünden. The large hollow, known as the Hedemünder Talbecken, passes through the Werra in a 50 meter wide river bed; it flows directly towards the castle hill and bends in front of it. The Hüttenbach, which flows into the opposite bank, has formed an alluvial cone that pushes the river to the southern slope of the castle hill. A historic ford runs through the river at the sharp bend in the river. It is based on a shoal at which the river is now 0.3 to one meter deep, while downstream at Lippoldshausen the water depth is around 1.5 meters, also due to the backwater of a weir. To the 90 meters lower bank of the Werra loop, the castle hill drops very steeply on its southern flank. Due to modern quarry work, there are cliffs on it. The geological subsoil of the mountain consists of middle red sandstone, which emerges as red-brown sandstone at the top. On this hill you can still see ramparts today, the so-called Hünenburg.
According to archaeological findings, the Hedemünden camp was closed around 11 to 9 BC. Founded. It existed until at least 8 or 7 BC. BC, possibly until the years after Christ and until the Varus Battle. Ultimately, it may have played a role again in AD 15 and 16 during the Roman revenge campaigns under Germanicus. The camp was probably set up by Drusus; the campaign in 11 BC is considered. To the Weser, on which the previously unlocated Aliso camp was founded and the campaign in 9 BC. To the Elbe.
With Hedemünden, an important strategic and logistical camp complex of the Roman advances was discovered, which with its scattered outdoor facilities represented a stable military camp deep in the Germanic area on the right bank of the Rhine. The location was based on the course of an old trunk road that led from northern Hesse to southern Lower Saxony. Here it crossed the Werra, which, as the upper reaches of the Weser, was still navigable around 150 kilometers further upstream and also represented an important cross-regional transport and trade route. To this day Hedemünden is the only fortified Roman camp in Lower Saxony and so far it is the most advanced camp of this type in the Germania magna.
The Roman camp Hedemünden was laid out on a site above a Werrafurt that is excellently suited to the terrain. The center of the facility was the camp complex I, which had a fortification with a surrounding wooden / earth wall with a ditch. The complex had four gates, several towers and inside had a structure of wooden buildings and tents, with a central building, a horreum and crew barracks. The "Camp II" in the direction of the Werra shows a thinner development, probably with wooden and tent structures. Other surrounding areas were not paved and served as storage areas or training grounds, with Area IV being a larger marching camp. The permanent crew of the plant is estimated at 300 to 500 men. In addition, there were outposts through the Kring small camp on the opposite side of the Werra and an observation point east of Hedemünden near Ellerode.
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