The Saalburg.Pdf

Fig. 1. — Model of The Saalburg. THE SAALBURG « A ROMAN FORT IN GERMANY Robert C. Horn AMONG the most interesting side ing pictures taken at that time, excites /A trips for an intelligent traveler in the interest of any students or lovers of +■ A Germany, particularly one with the classics, that is all it intends to do. an interest in classical life and art, is that I believe that this trip would be an to the Saalburg. A great many trav inspiration to a teacher of Caesar; for elers along the Rhine stop at the inter my part, I am able now to visualize a esting city of Frankfurt; but few, even Roman camp more clearly and more students of the classics, know how near satisfactorily than ever before. Cf . Fig. 1 . and easily accessible is a Roman camp, To reach the Saalburg one sets out not in ruins but restored. Amid what from Frankfurt by trolley for Hom- has been written about this camp, I burg, twelve miles distant, a small town take pleasure in referring to an article, but a famous resort, well known as "The Saalburg Collection," by Profes Homburg vor der Hoehe. Before us sor F. W. Shipley, in the Classical are the fir-clad Taunus Mountains. Weekly of January 23, 1909. Illustra From Homburg the electric car takes tions and pictures of the camp, apart us up the steep grade of the mountain from the postcards which may be pur side; it is a very pleasant ride. The chased at the Saalburg, are very un terminus is not far from the Saalburg; usual. If this brief account of a de it is fortunately situated just below an lightful excursion, with its accompany attractive restaurant, which offers a r 155] 1 a: U 0 g ART AND ARCHAEOLOGY Fig. 3. — Main Entrance (Porta Decumana). Photograph by D. M. Robinson good lunch when one has become weary After a short walk one reaches the of tramping around the Roman camp. ruins of the settlement which has grown On the front of the building are these up about the fortress of the Saalburg: inviting words: the Shrine of Mithras, the graves, and "Eia age silvestri fessus requiesce the shops. Just before one arrives at sub umbra. the entrance, there can be seen a villa Pelle animo curas, corpore pelle and a bath, with remains of a hypo- sitim." caustum, the famous hot-air heating Below this we read in German: system of the Romans. While we are crossing the bridge which spans the "Ruhe, ermuedete Wanderer, unter double ditch surrounding the fort, we dem Schatten des Waldes. read the inscription over the gateway, Verscheuche aus dem Geist die Sor- which tells us of the restoration of the gen, aus dem Koerper verscheuche den Saalburg by the German Emperor. The Durst." inscription runs thus: This invitation of the Restaurant Saal- burg-Taunus is irresistible to a tramper GVILELMVS II FRIDERICI III in the forests of the Taunus. The FILIVS GVILELMI tempting invitation of the inscriptions MAGNI NEPOS ANNO REGNI XV IN is not belied by realities. As one sits MEMORIAM ET HONOREM PARENTVM on the terrace enjoying his lunch, he is CASTELLVM LIMITIS ROMANI enjoying at the same time a splendid SAALBVRGENSE RESTITVIT view towards Homburg. Before the double opening of the gate- [157 1 o x ART AND ARCHAEOLOGY Fig. 5. — Sacellum and Statue of the Emperor Hadrian. way stands a bronze statue of Antoni chisels, horse-shoes, nails, weapons and nus Pius, placed there by the Kaiser, to utensils of various kinds, articles of per take the place of a stone original. On sonal adornment, writing implements, the base is this inscription: and the like; here are all the articles of daily use and need. Many things were IMPERATORI found in the wells, which were very ROMANORVM numerous; the mineral properties of the TITO ,£LIO HADRIANO water helped to preserve what was ANTONINO thrown or dropped in. From a study AVGUSTO PIO of the collection much may be learned GVILELMUS II about the life on the Roman frontier. In the center of the camp is the Prse- IMPERATOR torium (Fig. 2); that part of it which GERMANORVM faces us was a drill hall; in it are some On our right as we enter the Porta interesting models of Roman engines of Decumana (Fig. 3) is the Horreum, war. As we pass on through the two now the museum, while on the left is the courts, we see in front the Sacellum and Quzestorium. In the museum are many the statues of Hadrian and Alexander articles that were found here: hatchets, Severus (Fig. 5). [ 159 ART AND ARCHAEOLOGY The other gates (Fig. 4) of the camp the soldier and the engineer used in are protected by two-storied towers on their professions, besides many things either side; the battlemented walls of that show the life of the town that lay stone are six feet thick and twelve feet under the walls of such a fort. One may high, exclusive of the battlements; back climb the neighboring hill of Froehliche of these is an embankment ten feet high, Mannskopf to get an excellent view of upon which the soldiers took their posi the camp as a whole. Back of the tions. Outside of the walls is the double whole line of the Limes, which was ditch. The fort evidently controlled furnished with frequent watch-towers important trade roads; there are still (Fig. 6), were fortresses like the Saal remains of the old Roman road which burg at intervals of nine miles, and be ran to the main entrance of the castel- tween these were smaller forts. So one lum and then turned aside to the right, begins to realize how the lords of the continuing along the east side of the world managed to hold their own by fortress. If we follow this road to the strength of arms against the German north for several hundred feet, we shall tribes, who were only beginning to be arrive at the Limes, which the Germans civilized. One begins to understand also call Pfahlgraben, the trench and earthen how the Roman outposts of civilization rampart, the visible limit of the Impe- were influencing these barbarians. This rium Romanum. is what one learns from a visit to this This is what one sees in a visit in Roman fortress, restored a few years times of peace to the Saalburg. The ago by the German Emperor. This is appearance of walls and buildings gives the charm of the Saalburg, tucked away one an idea of the Roman fortifications in a most delightful situation in the not easily gained otherwise. The mu glorious Taunus Mountains. seum shows many of the articles which Muhlenberg College Fig. 6. — Model of a Watch-Tower on the Limes. 160.

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