Roman watchtower found

From the Netherlands, via Australia (they are a day ahead, after all):

Dutch archaeologists have discovered the foundations of a wooden watchtower, built by Roman soldiers on the banks of the Rhine almost 2000 years ago.

They say the watchtower was part of a chain of observation posts guarding the river, which marked the border of the Roman empire at its greatest extent.

Chief archaeologist on the project, Erik Graafstal, believes the towers were used to monitor shipping on the river and to sound the alarm if hostile Germanic tribes threatened to attack. . .

The towers were built at intervals of 500 to 1500 metres, close enough that guards would have been able to signal each other and alert soldiers stationed at nearby bases to any trouble on the river.

Graafstal said the find rivals in importance the wreck of a fully loaded Roman freight ship that was found in the same area in 1997, which will be excavated this spring.

Posted by David on January 2, 2003 10:54 AM