Ein Brandhorizont aus der Zeit der Markomannenkriege im südostnorischen Munizipium Flavia Solva - Hinker, Christoph (Österreichisches Archäologisches Institut, 2014)
The publication provides a detailed study of a burnt layer from Insula XLI in Flavia Solva (Wagna, Austria), dated ca. AD 170, i.e. within the period of the Marcomannic Wars. In addition to cultural and historical topics, the problem of historicity of archaeological features, particularly burnt layers, is given special consideration. Apart from the presentation of an exceptional archaeological feature within the eastern Alpine-Adriatic region the book provides methodical contributions to the understanding of archaeology as a historically oriented cultural science.The connection of event-historical data and archaeological features or their interpretation has been a central research concern since the beginnings of the archaeology of the Roman provinces. The affiliation of Roman provincial archaeology with the historical sciences or the historical cultural sciences has also been confirmed by different researchers (e. g. R. Fellmann, M. K. H.
Eggert).For the history of the Danube provinces, the Marcomannic Wars (166–180 AD) of Marc Aurel constitute a significant and crucial chronology of historic events during the second half of the 2nd century AD. The topic of this publication deals with the consequences of these wars and their evidence in the archaeological sources. Regarding the historic events of the Marcomannic Wars, the Germanic invasion as far as Upper Italy – which probably took place during the year 170 AD – is the centerpiece of the examination.
Concerning the archaeological sources, the attention focuses on an almost contemporary burnt layer in the Insula XLI of the South-Eastern Noric Municipium Flavia Solva.This research paper is a two-level approach of the connection of the mentioned event history and the archaeological evidences.The first – concrete – level introduces the burnt feature of Insula XLI and evaluates it in detail in order to illustrate in a well-founded way the following usage of the feature as a case study for the different methodical problems in connection with the topic.In order to create a comprehensible starting position for these advanced considerations, it is necessary to take a close look at the historic background, its written sources of antique writers and to examine critically some historical interpretations of the classical and ancient studies regarding the consequences of the Marcomannic Wars,
in particular in connection with the case study Flavia Solva.An additional precondition for the evaluation and interpretation of the feature is the analysis of the genesis of the existing archaeological sources regarding their archaeological recovery and processing and the interpretation and reconstruction of depositional and post-depositional processes.Only these preparatory considerations allow the further methodically clean evaluation and interpretation of the features and the findings.All essential data of the findings are noted in a detailed catalogue.
Thereby, a basis for an assessment and documentation of cultural-historical framework conditions is finally created.A comparison with statements made on the occasion of the connection of archaeological features – in particular in the western Danube provinces – with the Marcomannic Wars illustrates different research assessments of the sources.Significant methodical problems and uncertainties emerge which can be created in connection with the heterogeneous sources, especially the connection of archaeological features with historical events.Finally, this research paper intends to go beyond the first interpretation level concentrated in particular on the existing case study and enable considerations on a second, abstract level.However, at first is discussed – in connection with the existing case study – to what extent the results of the evaluation of the archaeological feature can be combined with the context of the event history.