The Rhine area: forts and roads

Presumably Caracalla started work on the known defense system along the frontier, including the so-called "Pfahlgraben", a ditch with rampart and a stone wall. Obviously however such work is very difficult to date accurately. For example, In Dalkingen (to the east of Stuttgart) a gate serving as a border crossing was changed into a true monument, most likely in 213 AD. Fragments of a bronze, colossal Imperial statue were also found. The date is however not confirmed by epigraphic evidence.

The "Limestor" Dalkingen, protected and presented.
Photo: Wikimedia, Holger Uwe Schmitt.

Fortunately inscriptions come to the rescue for activity at other locations. Two dedications from the fort at Holzhausen an der Heide (between Koblenz and Mainz) are dated to 213 AD (HD022154; HD060885), two dedications from the fort at Saalburg (to the north of Frankfurt) to 212 and 213 AD (HD060542; HD060543), one or two dedications from the fort at Eining (to the south of Stuttgart) to 212 and 213 AD (HD058365; HD060075). Some of the inscriptions had bronze letters.

The reconstructed main gate of the fort at Saalburg.
Photo: Wikimedia, Carole Raddato.

Remains of the fort at Eining.
Photo: Wikimedia, Wolfgang Rieger.

Work on roads is also documented. One of these led to Phoebiana (Faimingen, near Ulm). Three milestones from Germany, dated to the period August 30 - December 9 2012 AD, state that Caracalla was responsible for "roads and bridges": vias et pontes dedit (EDCS-08300484, from Gundelfingen an der Donau; EDCS-08300485-6, from Dillingen an der Donau). Four inscriptions from Switzerland, from 213 AD, record repairs of old roads and briges: vias et pontes vetustate collapsos restituit (EDCS-09500293, from Saint-Prex (on the Lake of Geneva); EDCS-12400416, from Montagny-la-Ville (to the west of Fribourg); EDCS-12400407, from Solothurn (to the north of Bern); EDCS-12400240, from Orbe (to the west of Yverdon)).

	IMP(erator) CAES(ar) M(arcus) AVRE LIVS ANTONINVS P(ius) F(elix) AVG(ustus) BRITANNICVS MAX(imus) PARTHICVS MAX(imus) PONT(ifex) MAX(imus) TRIB(unicia) P(otestate) XV IMP(erator) II CO(n)S(ul) DESIGN(atus) IIII VIAS ET PONTES DEDIT A PHOEBIANIS M(ilia) P(assuum) IIII
Milestone from Gundelfingen, now in the Kirche St. Martin. EDCS-08300484. Photo: Wikimedia, Reinhardhauke.