Rare Roman bridgehead fort found in Austria

The first Roman bridgehead fort ever found in Austria has been identified near Stopfenreuth on the Lower Austrian Danube floodplains. The only other bridgehead known on the Danube Limes (the Roman boundary line) is at the Iža-Leányvár fort in Slovakia. The bridgehead was not a permanent bridge, but rather a fort built on the river where troops oversaw the movement of people, trade and goods over a strategically important boundary line. A ferry service likely transported people and merchandise from the fort on the north bank of the Danube to the south.

Some of the ruins of the ancient walls are still visible and have been known since the 19th century as the Ödes Schloss (Deserted Castle), and historians hypothesized that it was a medieval castle or a fortress from the 16th century wars with the Ottoman Empire. Excavations in 2024 uncovered more well-preserved sections of walls and stamped bricks of Legio XIV and Legio XV Apollinaris, two legions that were garrisoned at the fortress of Carnuntum 2.5 miles away.

Carnuntum was founded in the early 1st century as a winter camp, but quickly grew into an imposing military fortress with an associated city that became the capital of the Roman province Pannonia Superior. It was the epicenter of the forts on the Danube, a bulwark against the Germanic tribes attacking Pannonia. Marcus Aurelius wrote the second book of his Meditations while headquartered at Carnuntum during the Marcomannic Wars (172-174 A.D.), and Septimius Severus was acclaimed emperor there after the death of Pertinax in 193 A.D. It was also an important stop on the Roman Amber Road that moved prized Baltic amber from Northern Europe to Italy. Amber traders following the main branch of the road crossed the Danube at Carnuntum, so the bridgehead also guarded the valuable goods as they crossed into Roman territory.

Excavations in the Hainburger Au region revealed remarkably well-preserved wall structures. Particularly impressive are sections of the fort walls that have survived up to 2.65 meters high. Scientific research shows that the fort was built in two phases. The first phase dates back to around 170/180 AD, when Emperor Marcus Aurelius had the Roman border reinforced against the Germanic tribes during the Marcomannic Wars. In a second construction phase around 260 AD, the complex was renovated under Emperor Gallienus, but as Carnuntum gradually declined in importance, so did the number of troops.

The archaeological finds include stamped bricks from the XIV and XV legionary units, coins, ceramics, and some small bronze finds. “They demonstrate the great strategic importance of Carnuntum within the Roman military system and provide new insights into the military security of the north-south connection,” emphasizes Eduard Pollhammer, archaeologist and scientific director of Carnuntum.

The excavation in the Donauauen National Park have concluded, but the archaeological materials recovered are currently undergoing conservation and study.