Teurnia. A Changing Roman City.

Teurnia, founded under Emperor Claudius (41-54 AD), is one of the early Roman cities in present-day Austria. In contrast to its neighboring cities, it is not on the plain, but situated on a hill. This is very atypical for a settlement of this period, but it became an obvious advantage in Late Antiquity, when most of the towns in the region were abandoned and Teurnia not only continued to exist but even became the capital of the Roman province Noricum Mediterraneum. It goes without saying that there have been changes in the cityscape over time, and this is precisely the focus of the project. Its city map is of particular interest for the early days of the city, in particular how the typical rectangular system had to be adapted to the location on the hill and which lines of sight were considered important. A key to this subject will be the evaluation of existing aerial photos, laser scans and results from geophysical measurements as well as the consideration of the city with regard to the micro-region. A number of modifications and changes can be observed for the Roman imperial period. The research in structural remains and small finds of previously unpublished excavations will lead to a detailed chronology of two exemplary areas of special interest, one in the city center and one on the outskirts. A comparison between these two and other published areas of the city, such as the western residential terraces, will show whether the obvious changes affected the entire city or were confined to districts. This is also a crucial question for Late Antiquity, when the appearance of the city changed fundamentally, for example through the construction of the city wall. Is this to be understood as a remodeling and revitalization after a period of decline or is there a continuous process of transformation? By evaluating these questions, the research project will position Teurnia as a model for differentiating between individual development and general trends. As a comprehensive case study, the project will also have great comparative potential for further research into Roman and Late Antique urbanistic in general.

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