D-A-CH-Project: Limites inter Provincias - Rome's internal frontiers

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Boundaries and the overcoming thereof are a current topic of research in the historical sciences. This also holds true for Provincial-Roman archaeology, however up until now, this field of study was primarily confined to the frontiers of the Roman Empire. Based on the present state of research, an extensive examination of the inner borders of the Roman Empire is still in the beginning phase, though of extreme importance. For example, did a border at that time correspond to today’s borders between two provinces/cantons or was it similar to the border between two countries of the EU? Is it a matter of mere administrative borders or can cultural boundaries be assumed? Did a “provincial awareness” exist among the people?In order to find answers to these and other questions, we are planning a tri-national, border-crossing research project. In a combined interdisciplinary approach with the help of ancient history, archaeology and archaeometry the declared goal is to gain new knowledge on the phenomenon of the Roman provincial border. As a case study the provincial border between Upper Germania and Rhaetia has been chosen, which ran, perpendicular to today’s national borders, in the Middle Imperial Era from Schwäbisch-Gmünd (GER) to Lake Constance and from there further on to the main Alpine divide. Three approaches have been selected to study these issues:Approach 1 includes the study of written sources (ancient historical approach). Based on the critical analysis of the written records, the significance/organization of provincial borders and their relationship to customs regions of that same time will be studied. Approach 2 includes landscape archaeology. Geographical and topographical methods of settlement study (incl. GIS) should primarily examine if the artificially drawn border can be recognized in settlement patterns.Approach 3 includes the analysis of finds. The study of pottery production and distribution may determine if the economic structures of that time (production installations and the distribution of wares) were influenced by the administrative borders. In the area of the study of dress (esp. fibulae), it should be examined to what extent the politically formed provinces correlate with cultural regions.The project will be carried out at three work places (Zurich University, Freiburg/Brsg. University, Innsbruck University) in the framework of dissertations as well as project papers. The combination of tried and tested methods (study of inscriptions, study of material) with new scientifically sound approaches (GIS and chemical-mineralogical analysis) is essential. The project is structured so that all three work places are closely connected with and therefore complementing one another. Periodic meetings/workshops as well as a larger scale convention with international participation in the second third of the project phase are planned to guarantee the exchange of information within the research environment.