Archaeologists have discovered a Roman army camp in the Veluwe region that lies outside the borders of the former empire. It is believed to be a temporary base. Only a handful of such camps have been discovered in the Netherlands.
The camp was discovered near Hoog Buurlo, near Apeldoorn. It covers approximately nine hectares, which is equivalent to thirteen football fields. Virtually nothing of the former camp can be seen on the surface, but excavations revealed a moat, several entrances, and a 3-meter-wide defensive wall. The photo above this article shows a cross-section of that wall.
The location of the former camp is striking because it was outside conquered territory. The Romans maintained the Rhine as a border. This army camp is located approximately 25 kilometers north of that river.
The discovery was made by Constructing the Limes – a research project of the University of Utrecht (UU) – and Saxion University of Applied Sciences. They are investigating the Lower Germanic Limes: the northern border of the Roman Empire that ran through the Netherlands and western Germany.
Only three times before has such a camp been found in the Netherlands. By comparison, dozens are known in Germany and even hundreds in England. The researchers hope to learn more about how the Romans made use of the areas outside their empire.
Piece of military armor excavated
The Romans built temporary army camps when they were passing through. They stayed there for a few days to a maximum of a few weeks. The camp found was probably from an army traveling to a camp near Ermelo-Leuvenum. That is less than 20 kilometers away.
The team found the site with special research techniques, including a type of radar. They also studied aerial photos. Soil research has shown that it is an army camp.
The area has been examined with a metal detector. The archaeologists found little, but did find a fragment of military armor, Saxion reports. Because they found little, it is difficult to determine how old the camp is. Based on the traces found, they suspect that the camp dates from the second century AD.
