Mittelstrimmig - Burgus

One of the most important pieces of Roman inscription in the Rhineland comes from Mittelstrimmig.
The inscription, carved into a block of limestone, is a dedication to a shrine. A second text, on the rear, refers to the erection of a Roman fortification, known as a burgus. It is dated the 23rd May 270 A.D. 
Inscriptions concerning such matters reflect the state of the Roman community. They document building activity and the reconstruction work that followed after wars or acts of nature had caused destruction.
Inscriptions on buildings often document the activities of religious cults.   Buildings were   very often dedicated to gods.
By measuring resistance in the ground (geophysical surveying?) of the Vicus near Mittelstrimmig the fortification documented in the inscription could be precisely located.
Mighty walls protected a large building, 13m wide by 18m long, which was divided into rooms with a small internal courtyard. Two ditches surrounded the fortification.
The ditches, up to 48 m long, run without any interruption, thus access must have been via bridges. The fact that the Burgus is located not at any great height but, rather, lower down the slope, very close to the settlement is remarkable.  Burgi, the precursors of mediaeval forts were small. Small military units were stationed there for the control and protection of the local population. The small military posts were mostly occupied by Teutons who had taken an important role not only in agriculture but also in the Roman army. 
There were two types of Burgi: one served to stabilise and protect the border while the other type – like the one near Mittelstrimmig – was located in the back-country and served to protect the roads and trade. With numerous small fortifications the Roman Empire tried to face effectively the raids of the Teutons which took  place from the 3rd century A.D. onwards.
It was early in the 3rd century that a German tribe – the Alemanni – first stepped into the historical spotlight.  Hostilities with the Germanic people shaped the destiny of the Roman provinces on the Rhine and Moselle right up to the 5th century.
The Teutons effortlessly overcame fortified borders and rivers such as the Rhine and the Danube.
When the border was first broken through marauders could pass freely through the provinces and advance deep into the Roman Empire.
In late antiquity it was envisaged that fortresses would be small and able to be defended by small units of soldiers. Fortress walls were massive  – often 3 m thick and up to 10 m high.
The Moselle estuary was protected by the massive fort at Confluentes/Koblenz while, on the Rhine the large fortress of Bodobriga/Boppard was erected.
The fortification at Noviomagus/Neumagen  protected  the roads and the town of  Treves. The fortification was erected in haste; fragments of rubble from older buildings, pedestals and  sculpted reliefs from tombs  were all used in the foundations. The fortress walls’ exterior was strengthened by massive projecting towers. Access to the ancient fortress was prevented by ditches and was limited to only one or two gates.
In addition, the upper reaches of the Moselle, between Treves and Koblenz , were protected  by a closely woven network  of small fortifications and burgi.
Along the deep Moselle valley, beside military complexes and located on elevated spurs were numerous hideaways for the local population. In medieval times these strategically favourable fortifications were often built over.
The burgus of Mittelstrimmig is part of a Roman border fortress used for the protection of people and roads in times of crisis during the 3rd and 4th century A.D. Archaeological excavations have not  yet taken place so statements concerning the end of the burgus are not possible.

[Martin Thoma]