The deadly trap of Roman legionary camps. The first such discovery

Sharp stakes protected Roman legionary camps around 2,000 years ago. They reaped a deadly toll during attempted attacks. Until now, they were only known from written accounts. Finally, they have been found.

Ancient Romans were renowned for their excellent military organization. Both the fighting style of the legionaries and the defensive system of the Empire still evoke admiration today.

Extraordinary discovery in western Germany

In previous years, archaeologists from Goethe University in Frankfurt on the Main in Germany, during excavations at the site of the former Roman camp in Bad Ems, came across remains of wooden fortifications. Such finds are very rare. These survived because they were in a marshy area. Moisture excellently preserves archaeological sites. We don’t have to look far for examples. Thanks to this, relics of the Lusatian settlement in Biskupin have been preserved to our times.

This time, the fortifications consisted of sharpened wooden stakes placed inside a V-shaped ditch. It was a deadly trap for potential attackers. Until now, information about such a system was known only from contemporary written sources. Julius Caesar, for example, who was an outstanding strategist and military leader, mentioned what the camps looked like.

The stakes were excavated, examined, and preserved in specialized laboratories at the Leibniz-Zentrum für Archäologie (LEIZA). Experts have just shared the results of their research, publishing a paper on the discovery accompanied by photos of the artifacts.

“A small archaeological sensation”

In total, 23 sharpened stakes were excavated. Their conservation took 2.5 years.

“We owe these perfectly preserved archaeological finds primarily to the wet substrate with low oxygen content, consisting of numerous layers of sediments. In my 35 years of work, I have never dealt with sediment layers so densely “packed” — says Markus Wittköpper, an expert in the conservation of wet wood at LEIZA.

This find is also a significant surprise for the director of LEIZA, Prof. Alexandra W. Busch. — These wooden stakes from military camps near Bad Ems, which seem inconspicuous at first glance, are a small sensation for archaeology, which particularly pleases me due to my specialization — she added.

The discovery is also enthusiastically commented on by the Director-General for Cultural Heritage of Rhineland-Palatinate, Dr. Heike Otto. — It is rarely possible to have such a profound insight into the times of the Roman Empire — she argues.

The stakes were part of a smaller of two camps in the area of ​​today’s Bad Ems, which existed in the 1st century AD. Their surfaces covered several hectares, the larger one could accommodate 3,000 soldiers.

Roman fortified camps

Why were the camps built in this area? It is highly likely that they are related to the search for silver veins under the rule of the Roman governor Curtius Rufus. The Roman historian Tacitus mentions them in his texts.

Nearby was the Roman border, known as the limes. Therefore, fortifications should not surprise anyone. After all, it was an area exposed to the raids of Germanic barbarian tribes.

The camps in Bad Ems were relatively small by Roman standards. Typical legionary camps occupied 20–50 hectares and could accommodate up to 20,000 soldiers. The ramparts were up to about 2 meters high. There was a palisade on the ramparts, and a 1.5-meter ditch was dug in front of them. Guard towers were placed every 10–15 meters.

Roman camps cannot be confused with other defensive layouts because they were built according to one scheme. In the central part, the commander’s tent and staff were set up. They were surrounded by guards and the first cohort. The camp was intersected by two streets that crossed inside. They led to four gates. Interestingly, permanent camps, where more durable structures were erected in place of tents, were planned in a very similar way.

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