The Roman Army along the Amber Road between Poetovio and Carnuntum in the 1st Century A.D. - Archaeological evidence. A preliminary research report

Abstract

The purpose o f my study is to shed light on the 1st Century Roman occupation o f NW-Pannonia by discussing the military sites along the 270 km long section of the Amber Road between two legionary fortresses, the Augustan Poetovio and the late Tiberio-Claudian Carnuntum. I will also examine the Roman occupation system of its two main branch roads, the Savaria-Brigetio and Scarbantia- Vindobona roads. Besides literary sources, my analysis is based on the archaeologically investigated and proved military buildings and fortifications of the period, the early import goods and inscriptions and, above all, the military equipment and horse gear finds which have long been regarded as characteristics of sites of military nature. The early history o f the Amber Road region is much more nuanced than scholars have hitherto realized, since the recently accumulated and tallied sources, primarily militaria finds, throw new light on the characteristic features of the Roman occupation system of this region.