Germania superior

Germania Superior ( " Upper Germania " ) was a Roman province, which was later than the year 90 to the end of the 3rd century. It included parts of present-day Switzerland, France and the south-west of Germany ( especially the Dekumatland ). The province bordered on the north by Germania inferior ( " Lower Germany ", later Germania secunda ), on the west by Gallia Belgica and Gallia Lugdunensis, Gallia Narbonensis in the south west and south-east of Raetia. East of the province of Germania Magna was ( the "free " Germania ). The seat of the governor of the province was in Mogontiacum, today Mainz.

History

Roman province

With the Augustan campaigns from 13/12 BC reached the left of the Rhine under Roman control. Until the founding of the province, which was completed in year 90 at the latest, the area was militarily managed ( exercitus superior). Especially in the 2nd century, it came through right bank of territorial expansion and advancement of the Limes in significant increases in the province ( Dekumatland ), which belonged with a total area of ​​93,500 km ² of the medium sized provinces of the Roman Empire. The significance of the province was not their size, but the location on a vulnerable frontier of the empire, which is why it was heavily dominated militarily. The commander of the troops stationed in Upper Germany therefore focused mainly on the 1st and 2nd century represents a significant factor of power because he could relatively quickly reach Italy with the Rhine legions. So drew 69 Vitellius, commander of the Lower Germanic Military District, in the Civil War of the Four Emperors Year 69 to Rome after the troops of Upper Germany had joined him, and many historians assume that Trajan was determined only reason of Emperor Nerva as his successor in 97 because he the Upper Germanic army commanded at that time.

Division of the province

Between 260 and 280, the Dekumatland was evacuated by the Roman troops ( limit case), and the military border at Rhenus (Rhine) and Danubius ( Danube ) moved back. Under Emperor Diocletian, the province of Germania superior were the maxima Sequanorum divided the south into the Germania prima in the north and in late antiquity by 297 and the Diocese of Gaul with the imperial city of Trier (Augusta Treverorum ) was assumed. Emperor Valentinian I let the boundary of the province to secure 370 -consuming by fortresses.

Period of migration

406 exceeded Germanic attacker in the wake of the Great Migration of the Rhine and plundered several Roman cities. In the early 5th century, initially controlled Burgundians ( 411-435 ) as foederati together with regular Western Roman units the area until they rebelled and were cast down 436 by Flavius ​​Aetius bloody. After about 455 then came Alamanni, and finally the Merovingian Franks succeeded the Roman rule on the Rhine at: As Clovis I by 482 rex succeeded his father as he was formally also administrator of the province of Germania Prima, which then are transformed gradually into Frankish crown land should.

Colonization

Because of its location on the border of the Roman Empire several Roman troops were stationed here. Legions were stationed in Mainz / Mogontiacum, Strasbourg / Argentorate and temporarily Windisch / Vindonissa, as well as many auxiliaries at the Upper Germanic Limes.

In addition to the military component initially dominant occurred in the peaceful period from the late 1st to early 3rd century in the hinterland a civilian: Structuring in civitates (singular civitas: Main places with an associated [ tribal ] region ) was performed. Links of the Rhine, these main places like Noviomagus ( Speyer ) and Borbetomagus (Worms ), the oldest German cities dar. On the right bank area was less this continuity, as the Roman rule lasted only until the 3rd century. Some Civitas main places such as Nida (now Frankfurt- Heddernheim ) were therefore not continuously inhabited until the Middle Ages, while a settlement continuity (albeit under simpler circumstances) is likely in other major places like Dieburg, Wiesbaden or Ladenburg.

In addition to the main towns and military camps there were smaller civilian settlements ( vici ) as Altiaia ( Alzey ), Eisenberg, Rockhausen, wholesale Gerau or Heldenbergen. This had no autonomous legal status and the parent Civitas administration were assigned. Often they were at intersections or had an industrial or commercial character. Dominating the settlement was by numerous Roman estates ( villae rustica ), some of which had a considerable luxury. By way of example, this may be viewed as the Roman Open Air Museum Hechingen-Stein. The province benefited from the presence of the Roman army, as the imperial men also had a significant purchasing power and the troops were also largely dependent on regional agricultural production; for this the villae rusticae were primarily responsible. Beyond the Roman towns and country estates, the old Germanic population remained mostly resident in Dekumatland, flocked to the numerous immigrants, lived a Celtic- Germanic mixed population.

The following Upper Germanic civitates are currently listed:

• Civitas Ulpia Sueborum Nicretum (after the Neckarsueben ), the main town of Ladenburg ( Lopodunum );
• Civitas Alisinensium, capital Wimpfen;
• Civitas Aurelia G. .., capital Cannstatt ( suspected);
• Civitas Sumelocennensis, the main town Rottenburg (Latin Sumelocenna );
• Civitas Aquensis, capital of Baden -Baden ( Aquae );
• Civitas Vangionum, capital of Worms ( Borbetomagus );
• Civitas Nemetum, the main town of Speyer ( Noviomagus );
• Civitas Mattiacorum, capital of Wiesbaden ( Aquae Mattiacorum );
• Civitas Taunensium, capital Frankfurt- Heddernheim (Nida );
• Civitas Auderiensium, capital Dieburg (Med. .. rest of the name unknown)

Notable Vici:

• Centum Prata ( Kempraten )
• Turicum ( Zurich )
• Vitudurum (Winterthur)

As the only known settlement reached Augst (Augusta Raurica ) the higher status of a colony, Rottweil ( Arae Flaviae ) to a municipium. To which the civitas capital of the province of Mainz ( Mogontiacum ) belonged, as the legal status of the city itself is so far unknown. It is speculated that the settling in the environment Aresaken ( a part of the tribe Treverians ) was a separate civitas formed, or whether the area around Mainz was under military administration and thus directly under the governor. As the areas in the northernmost part of Germania superior - the region around Koblenz ( Confluentes ) - had been divided for administrative purposes, is also unknown.