Basilia - das spätantike Basel (Katalog)

Abstract

Katalogteil mit Befundkatalog, Tafeln, Münzzusammenstellung und Literaturverzeichnis

Scales of transformations—Modelling settlement and land-use dynamics in late antique and early medieval Basel, Switzerland

“…At that time, a castrum was built on the Münsterhügel together with other castra along the northern border of the provincia Maxima Sequanorum [ 25 ]. This castrum –and the entire river Rhine limes –was fortified again in the late 4 th century AD, a period where a so-called munimentum (military fortification) was built to strengthen Basel on the northern riverbank [ 2 , 3 ]. The site remained a military facility at least until the administrative collapse of the Western Roman Empire in the late 5 th century AD [ 2 ].…”

“…This castrum –and the entire river Rhine limes –was fortified again in the late 4 th century AD, a period where a so-called munimentum (military fortification) was built to strengthen Basel on the northern riverbank [ 2 , 3 ]. The site remained a military facility at least until the administrative collapse of the Western Roman Empire in the late 5 th century AD [ 2 ]. However, the rural settlement development in this area is still widely unknown.…”

“…Consequently, it is not surprising that there are only few traces of early medieval settlements in Basel. The most important–and the only well documented–settlement is located at the Münsterhügel [ 2 ]. The site was already occupied from at least the protohistoric period onwards, but became particularly important during the Roman Imperial Period and again during Late Antiquity, with the first stone buildings and fortifications [ 3 , 21 , 25 ].…”

“…In Late Antiquity, it is assumed that the fortified Münsterhügel was rather loosely settled and that several areas were kept open to be used as gardens, small fields, or for animal husbandry [ 34 , 49 ]. Even though both elite houses and buildings with a military or administrative function are known within the fortified area on the Münsterhügel during Late Antiquity and the Early Middle Ages, the evidence for the corresponding settlement structure remains scarce, most likely due to preservation issues [ 2 ]. Several early medieval pit houses are attested for the 7 th and 8 th centuries AD, and other finds and features indicate an extensive, loosely distributed, and rather hamlet-like settlement structure in this area, in which at least parts of the late Roman fortification were no longer standing upright [ 3 , 50 ].…”

“…Several early medieval pit houses are attested for the 7 th and 8 th centuries AD, and other finds and features indicate an extensive, loosely distributed, and rather hamlet-like settlement structure in this area, in which at least parts of the late Roman fortification were no longer standing upright [ 3 , 50 ]. An extensive settlement outside the Münsterhügel is attested only from the 9 th century AD onwards, for instance through the foundation of new churches [ 2 ].…”