Guus Besuijen • Guus Besuijen A STUDY OF THE ROMAN SETTLEMENT AT AARDENBURG AND ITS METAL FINDS Beneath the surface of Aardenburg, a small town in the south-western part of the Netherlands, lie the remains of a Roman settlement that is presumed to have been named Rodanum. Extensive archaeological •RODANVM• excavations from the late 1950’s to the late 1980’s revealed that the Roman settlement was similar in size or even larger than the modern community at this location. Its centre was formed by a large castellum­- type fortification wall that enclosed several large stone buildings. The settlement was connected to the sea by a natural watercourse that de- fined its economic and logistical importance in the region. Rodanum’s military function was to secure the regional coast against attacks by Germanic tribes via the North Sea, which occurred around AD 175. It continued to be inhabited until the late third century or the begin- ning of the fourth century, after which the settlement was deserted until the early Middle Ages. The first part of this study provides an overview of Aardenburg du­ ring the Roman period, in which its economic and military functions within the region are explored. In particular, the military and civilian character of the town is discussed. The second part contains a study of the metal objects and aims to present significant additional infor- mation. This part concludes with a critical review of the current state of research at this site. Sidestone •RODANVM• ISBN 978-90-8890-016-7 A STUDY OF THE ROMAN SETTLEMENT Sidestone Press RODANVM ISBN: 978-90-8890-016-7 AT AARDENBURG AND ITS METAL FINDS Bestelnummer: SSP36650001 • 69351647 9 789088 900167 This is an Open Access publication. Visit our website for more OA publication, to read any of our books for free online, or to buy them in print or PDF. www.sidestone.com Check out some of our latest publications: Sidestone Press Copyright 2008 by G.P.A. Besuijen Published by Sidestone Press, Leiden www.sidestone.com Supported by Hazenberg Archeologie, Leiden www.hazenbergarcheologie.nl Sidestone registration number: SSP36650001 ISBN 978-90-8890-016-7 Cover design: K. Wentink (Sidestone Press) Layout: G.P.A. Besuijen Catalogue photographs: H. Hendrikse (Stichting Cultureel Erfgoed Zeeland) Catalogue drawings: L.C.J. Goldschmitz-Wielinga ·RODANVM· A STUDY OF THE ROMAN SETTLEMENT AT AARDENBURG AND ITS METAL FINDS G.P.A. Besuijen MA-thesis Classical Archaeology Faculty of Archaeology, Leiden University Supervisors: drs. J. de Bruin prof. dr. W.J.H. Willems PREFACE This study of Aardenburg in the Roman period originates from my personal interest in the Roman period of the Dutch coastal areas. Within the broad program of classical archaeology, this interest remained somewhat dormant for years. The bachelor thesis finally gave me some space to explore the subject of interest and resulted in a pilot study of this master thesis. Roman Aardenburg seemed and proved to be an ideal subject of study. Its position within the Roman Netherlands is both elusive and exceptional, as it is not classified as clearly as the limes-settlements along the Rhine and the regional centres in the hinterland of Germania Inferior and Gallia Belgica. Aardenburg is one of the older Dutch excavations that were never fully published. It therefore provided an opportunity for a material study that could provide new data to the debate of Aardenburg in the Roman period. The Roman settlement of Aardenburg was partly excavated in several campaigns from the 1950’s to the 1980’s. The most notable work was carried out by former provincial archaeologist, the late Jan Trimpe Burger, who unfortunately did not live to see the completion of this thesis. My first meeting with him was in early 2007, with the purpose to hear about his excavations in Aardenburg. He gladly informed me of his past excavation work and material studies and was so kind to provide me with all the documentation needed for the study of the metal finds of this thesis. I would have been unable to study the metal finds so thoroughly without his help. Therefore, I owe my sincere gratitude to Jan Trimpe Burger, excavator of Roman Aardenburg. The basic material study of this thesis was carried out in the Provincial Archaeological Depot in Middelburg, where most of the finds are stored. With the renovation of the Municipal Archaeological Museum in Aardenburg, all finds were temporarily moved to the depot. This provided me with a unique opportunity to examine almost all the metal finds in one location. This work could not have been done without the support and assistance of Henk Hendrikse, custodian of the depot, for which I owe him many thanks. Henk provided me with all the photographs included in the catalogue. My thanks also go to Leida Goldschmitz-Wielinga, volunteer at the depot, who, although some decades ago, made many of the object drawings used in the catalogue. Arco Willeboordse, curator of the Municipal Archaeological Museum in Aardenburg, and Robert van Dierendonck, provincial archaeologist of Zeeland, provided me with practical information on the subject of my thesis, for which I thank them. My supervisor Jasper de Bruin is thanked for the support in the process of writing and the discussions we had, which gave me fresh insights and broader views of the subject. I also wish to thank my second supervisor, Willem Willems, professor of provincial Roman archaeology, for finding the time to give comments the last draft of the thesis. John Bintliff, professor of classical archaeology, is thanked for keeping me on track, as is my boss Tom Hazenberg, who supported me in the final stages. I also would like to thank Fleur Kemmers and Ester van der Linden, who provided me with hard-to-get literature, Johan Nicolay for sending me the find database of his dissertation, and Wouter Dhaeze, for sending me an unpublished article that is forestalling his dissertation. I am grateful to Rinse Willet for improving the quality of the text. I also thank my fellow- students with whom I spend hours, days, and months in the library of the Faculty of Archaeology, and who gave me the necessary diversion and relief needed at times. Finally, I thank my family and friends who supported me during the time of writing this thesis. Leiden, September 2008. 7 8 CONTENTS 1 Introduction 11 2 Evolution of the landscape 13 3 Occupation in prehistory 17 4 The Roman period 19 4.1 Occupation from the first century onwards 20 4.2 Domburg, Colijnsplaat & Nehalennia 23 4.3 Goeree 26 4.4 Schouwen-Duiveland 27 4.5 Other sites in Zeeland 28 4.6 The Flemish coastal area 29 4.6.1 Agriculture, stock-breeding and fishery 30 4.6.2 Salt-making 31 4.6.3 Ceramics production 32 4.6.4 Metalworking 32 4.6.5 Cemeteries 33 4.7 Trade 33 4.7.1 Exports 33 4.7.2 Imports 34 4.7.3 ‘International’ trade 35 4.7.4 A business elite? 35 5 The Roman military 37 5.1 Protection of commerce, the coastal defence 39 5.2 Support for the campaigns of Septimus Severus 42 6 The fortification at Aardenburg 45 6.1 Roman occupation at Aardenburg 45 6.2 Material finds 49 6.2.1 Wall-painting fragments 49 6.2.2 Inscriptions 51 6.2.3 Building material 53 6.2.4 Military objects 53 6.2.5 Weighing instruments 54 6.2.6 Ceramics 54 6.2.7 Numismatic data 55 6.2.8 Intaglios 57 6.2.9 Coal 57 6.3 Roman military presence at Aardenburg 58 6.4 Fortifications in the region 58 6.4.1 Oudenburg 58 6.4.2 Maldegem-Vake 61 6.5 The end of the Roman occupation 61 7 The metal finds 65 7.1 Statuettes 65 7.2 Furniture accessories 65 7.3 Jewellery 68 7.4 Fibulae 69 7.5 Toilet implements, medical tools & utilitarian objects 71 7.6 Vessels & lids 72 7.7 Militaria 72 7.8 Horse gear 73 7.9 Rings 74 7.10 Miscellaneous and unknown objects 75 7.11 Synthesis of the metal finds 76 8 Conclusion 76 Bibliography 83 Appendix I - Numismatic Graphs 93 Appendix II - Catalogue (with plates I-XVI) 95 9 10 1 INTRODUCTION The town of Aardenburg in Zeeuws-Vlaanderen, located in the south-western part of the Netherlands, has been subject to extensive archaeological excavations from 1955 until the late 1980’s. Particularly during the sixties and seventies, notable research was carried out by the former provincial archaeologist Ir. J.A. Trimpe Burger. His work resulted in the discovery a Roman settlement, which was already suspected from stray finds collected earlier. Along the current streets named Sint Bavostraat and Burchtstraat the walls of a fortification with ditches were found. Based on the excavated areas, the total size of the fort was estimated to have been three hectares. Based on pottery and coin finds, the settlement existed from the end of the second century AD to around AD 275. The first part of this thesis is a literature study of Aardenburg in the Roman period. This contains as much publications as could be found within the time available for the study. It provides an overview of Aardenburg in the Roman period set in a chronological and regional context. It starts with a description of the geological situations and processes in the region of study, followed by the occupation history in the prehistoric periods. Next is a discussion of the Roman period in the south-western Netherlands and the Flemish coastal region, after which the Roman military in the north-western provinces in general is discussed.