Traces of the legionary city

The Amphitheatre Bad Deutsch-Altenburg invites you on a journey back to the early days of Carnuntum. A legionary city surrounded the former military camp, but the amphitheatre is the only visible part of this settlement that can still be seen today. After the first fortified winter camp was erected in 6 AD, the military camp was built in the middle of the 1st century AD, and was the nucleus of what later became the metropolis on the Danube

In contrast to the luxury and comforts of civilian life, absolute obedience and the discipline of the Roman legion ruled life in the military camp. A legionary city (canabae legionis) grew up around the military camp, where both the families of the legionaries as well as tradesmen and craftsmen lived.

 The military camp and the legionary city now rest beneath the earth. However, the foundations were laid in the middle of the 1st century AD for Carnuntum’s progress to a centre of world politics as well as a trading centre situated between the Amber road and the limes road. The solid walls of the military camp commanded respect and were visible far into Germanic territory. They were indispensable as a means of ensuring safety and prosperity for centuries on the Roman Danube limes.

The road between Petronell-Carnuntum and Bad Deutsch-Altenburg along the former main road (via principalis) through the middle of the former military camp takes one back in time. Halfway between Petronell-Carnuntum and Bad Deutsch-Altenburg the Amphitheatre transports one back to the hard daily life of the battle-tried Roman legionaries and the world of the gladiators.