The Roman fortlet is a small fortified encampment housing a group of 80 soldiers and their commander, the centurion. One barrack is authentically furnished as the soldiers quarters, their weapons, kitchen, supplies and the room of their commander. The function of these fortlets, which were built from the start of the second century onwards, was the housing of detachments of soldiers with a specific task. These small units were called a vexillatio, the vexillatio being a standard.

The soldiers of this fortlet were charged with guarding and maintaining the strategically important road which connected the city of Noviomagus with the Limes, the northern border of the Roman empire, which ran from the delta of the Donau to the delta of the Rhine.

They also levied taxes. The Rhine in Roman times was the boundary of their jurisdiction. In England the Limes is visible in the shape of the impressive Hadrian’s Wall, also dotted with castellan and fortlets. It is the time of the Pax Romana, the Roman peace, with much trade flowing to and fro across the border.

For superb digital reconstructions view www.digitale-archaeologie.de. Here one can see the present day views on what Roman building could have looked like.