Archaeological prospection in Carnuntum has made significant progress over the past two decades. Through extensive aerial archaeology and geophysical surveys, large areas of the Roman metropolis on the Danube have been explored. These methods have enabled the reconstruction of the structure and extent of the civil settlement around the legionary fortress (canabae legionis) and the civil town (municipium/colonia). Particularly noteworthy is the discovery of a bridgehead fort in the Stopfenreuther Au and the Castra singularium, which offers new insights into the Roman governor's seat of Upper Pannonia. The combination of various prospection methods has made Carnuntum one of the most illustrative examples of Roman settlement structures in the frontier provinces.
The excavations in the castra singularium (2022/2023) and the bridgehead fort in Stopfenreuth (2024) have additionally yielded valuable insights. In the castra singularium, the findings and artifacts beneath the central building (principia) were examined, with particular focus on a Germanic pit house and the associated finds, such as ceramics and archaeozoological remains. These discoveries provide insights into the early imperial settlement and the development of the military town in the 1st century AD, as well as the repurposing of the area from civilian to military use. In the bridgehead fort in Stopfenreuth, exceptionally well-preserved walls of a fortification, up to 2.65 meters high, were uncovered. The artifacts, including coins, pottery, and building ceramics with brick stamps of the 14th and 15th Legions, clearly indicate a Roman fort that existed from the late 2nd to the late 3rd century. These discoveries significantly contribute to our understanding of Roman military and settlement history in the region.
seit 2012
