Modern photograph of the reconstructed Roman amphitheatre, Archaeological Park Xanten · Wikimedia Commons

Xanten

Name: Xanten
Address: Germany

Germania Inferior · Roman province·Germany·Founded ~100 CE by Trajan

Colonia Ulpia Traiana, a Trajanic colonia on the Rhine named for the emperor. Fresh-built at our 117 CE snapshot — mostly veterans of the Rhine legions.

Germany's largest open-air archaeological park, built over Roman Colonia Ulpia Traiana with full-scale reconstructed buildings, part of the UNESCO Lower German Limes.

Excavation history

1819-1844

Murray Philipp Houben — A self-taught archaeologist, Houben carried out the first documented systematic excavations of the Roman remains near Xanten at his own expense.

1905-1914 and 1925-1934

Hans Lehner (with F. Oelmann in the later phase) — Excavated the fortification walls and central area of the legionary fortress of Vetera in two major campaigns.

1977

LVR-Archaeological Park Xanten (Landschaftsverband Rheinland) — The 73-hectare LVR Archaeological Park was founded over the site of Colonia Ulpia Traiana and has continued research, conservation and reconstruction for nearly 50 years since.

Notable finds

The Xanten Youth

Fishermen hauled this bronze boy up from the Rhine at nearby Luttingen in 1858, a crown of acorns, grain and grapes on his head and a serving tray once balanced in his missing hand — he likely stood in a Roman officer's dining room at the legionary fortress that preceded this colonia.

Neues Museum, Berlin

The Xanten Ship

This excavated Roman river vessel now hangs suspended twelve metres above the museum floor, giving visitors a view of a working Rhine barge from underneath that no Roman boatman ever had.

LVR-Römermuseum, Xanten

Xanten Cavalry Helmet

A 1st-century cavalry officer's parade helmet, its iron shell sheathed in silver-gilt bronze and engraved with fine detail, came out of the Rhine near Xanten well enough preserved to show exactly how a high-status horseman dressed for the sports of peacetime.

LVR-LandesMuseum, Bonn

Open Xanten on the interactive map →

Roman Maps shows the empire frozen at 11 August 117 CE, the day Trajan died — its moment of greatest territorial extent. Explore the full map →