Comagena
Encyclopedia
Comagena was a fortified Roman camp
on the Danube
, on the site of the modern town of Tulln an der Donau
in Austria
. Built as a defensive work along the Norican
frontier, it originally housed an ala of up to 500 cavalry troops (ala I Commagenorum). From its exposed situation, it was able to guard a militarily significant ford over the Danube and control the valley lowlands for a good distance upstream and down.
Several phases of rebuilding at the site have been identified: it was established, as an earth-and-timber encampment, in the late 1st century AD, probably under Domitian
, and in the early 2nd century stone fortifications were constructed. In its later days the fort served as the base of a naval fleet (the classis Comaginensis), as well as a cavalry regiment (equites promoti). Excavations to the west and south of the fort have uncovered evidence of at least two assoociated vici
(civilian settlements) and three graveyards.
Castra
The Latin word castra, with its singular castrum, was used by the ancient Romans to mean buildings or plots of land reserved to or constructed for use as a military defensive position. The word appears in both Oscan and Umbrian as well as in Latin. It may have descended from Indo-European to Italic...
on the Danube
Danube
The Danube is a river in the Central Europe and the Europe's second longest river after the Volga. It is classified as an international waterway....
, on the site of the modern town of Tulln an der Donau
Tulln an der Donau
Tulln an der Donau is a town in the Austrian state of Lower Austria, and the seat of the Tulln district. Because of its abundance of parks and other green spaces, Tulln is often referred to as Blumenstadt, meaning city of flowers...
in Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
. Built as a defensive work along the Norican
Noricum
Noricum, in ancient geography, was a Celtic kingdom stretching over the area of today's Austria and a part of Slovenia. It became a province of the Roman Empire...
frontier, it originally housed an ala of up to 500 cavalry troops (ala I Commagenorum). From its exposed situation, it was able to guard a militarily significant ford over the Danube and control the valley lowlands for a good distance upstream and down.
Several phases of rebuilding at the site have been identified: it was established, as an earth-and-timber encampment, in the late 1st century AD, probably under Domitian
Domitian
Domitian was Roman Emperor from 81 to 96. Domitian was the third and last emperor of the Flavian dynasty.Domitian's youth and early career were largely spent in the shadow of his brother Titus, who gained military renown during the First Jewish-Roman War...
, and in the early 2nd century stone fortifications were constructed. In its later days the fort served as the base of a naval fleet (the classis Comaginensis), as well as a cavalry regiment (equites promoti). Excavations to the west and south of the fort have uncovered evidence of at least two assoociated vici
Vicus
Vicus may refer to:*Vicus , plural vici, a neighborhood or local administrative unit of ancient Rome**Vicus Tuscus in Rome**Vicus Jugarius, leading into the Roman Forum** Gensis in Moesia Superior...
(civilian settlements) and three graveyards.