Roman Era

In 488 AD, the command came from Rome for all Romans to withdraw to Italy: the end of the West Roman Empire. From different areas groups of people started occupying territory in the Salzburger Land. They formed the people called Bavarii (Bajuwaren) with their own dukes, the Agolfinger with Regensburg as residence and their own laws which played an important role until the 14th century. The Bavarii held a part as large as Old Bavaria, a large part of Austria and South Tirol. They were dependent of the Franks since 595.

An interesting lake dwelling reconstruction museum can be found at Ohrid Lake, one of the oldest and deepest lakes of Europe, at the border between Macedonia and Albania. This area has attracted tourists for centuries. The Museum on Water is still under expansion and should count about 16 dwellings later on.

Vindolanda and the Roman Army Museum bring history alive. Vindolanda is a fascinating Roman fort and civilian settlement lying just to the south of Hadrian's Wall.

The Martberg – Mart Mountain is looking out over the Moselle river at a height of 180 metres. This used to be a political and religious centre in the past. 100 BC, the mountain housed a stronghold, a so called Oppidum which was upgraded with a temple area in Roman Times.

The Limes-Park at Rainau is about 6 kilometres long with 11 stations. One of them is the Limes tower in the Mahdholz near Rainau-Schwabsberg.

The association behind the Roman Villa was founded in 1983 in order to safeguard in cooperation with the Bavarian Landesdamt für Bodendenkmalpflege the excavated walls and artefacts. As a second step, together with the Landesstelle für die Nichtstaatlichen Museen, one reconstructed the central complex of the Villa Rustica on top of the original foundations and exhibited all artefacts on the original spot.

The village Köngen is situated at an old route, already used in the Iron Age and leading from Speyer to Augsburg. More clear than any other, Romans have left their mark at Köngen, with a small military camp (a castellum) known by the name Grinario.

In the first century AD, a Roman Villa Rustica was constructed at Hechingen-Stein. It remained functioning for 200 years. In 1973, traces of the forgotten villa were discovered by the mayor of Stein, Gerd Schollian in the Teufelbach forrest. The Landesdenkmalamt Thübingen excavated over the years 1987 – 1981 the main buildings and the baths. Since 1992 new excavations took place uncovering among others the temple.

On the Roman Via Domitia (connecting Spain to Italy) there used to be a Roman villa, producing amphorae on a large scale. This villa was excavated in two campaigns (1980-1983 by the CNRS and 2000-2002).

In 1990, the middle point of Germany was being calculated – it happened to be in the area of three municipalities: Oberdorla, Niederdorla and Langula. This sounded like a good occasion to attract tourists.