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The legionary fortress at Neuss 43 - 103 A. D.

Reconstruction of the second stone - phase

Text and Graphic: Heinz Birkenheuer

1.3 Location of the Castra

On a place - secured against floods - at about 10 Meter above normal water level of the river Rhine were the locations of Roman camps and of a legionary fortress at the mouth of the river Erft from 16 B. C. to 258 A. D. *6)

Location of the

Roman camps at the mouth of river Erft

The first camp -A-, the last camp -E- and the place of the fortress -H-.

Graphic: Heinz Birkenheuer

Beside the terrain of the last Roman camp -marked with E - the LEGION XVI GALLICIA started the first building phase of the legionary fortress from 43 A. D. onward, that existed up to the withdrawal of the last legion of Neuss till 103 A. D. *7) Up to the completion of the new fortress the XVI. legion stayed for security reasons in camp - E -. After removal into the new legions' fortress the area of the camp was arranged for a new suburb (CANABAE).

*6 ) Michael Gechter, Die Anfänge des Niedergermanischen Limes / S.100

*7 ) Gustav Müller , Das römische Neuss / S.38