One of the few confirmed Roman battlefield sites in northern Germany, offering rare archaeological evidence of Roman military operations deep into Germanic territory.
Key Facts
- Approximate date
- Early 3rd century AD, c. 222–238
- Discovery date
- December 2008
- Battlefield area
- Several square kilometers
- Probable emperors' reigns
- Severus Alexander (222–235) or Maximinus Thrax (235–238)
- Location
- Near Harzhorn hill, between Kalefeld and Bad Gandersheim
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
Roman military campaigns into Germanic territory during the 3rd century brought Roman forces into the region of present-day Lower Saxony. The presence of Roman coinage dating to the reigns of Severus Alexander or Maximinus Thrax suggests an expedition into territory well beyond the traditional Roman frontier, likely part of efforts to suppress Germanic incursions or project Roman power northward.
A battle took place near the Harzhorn hill between Roman and Germanic troops, in an area spanning several square kilometers. The site, located between the modern towns of Kalefeld and Bad Gandersheim, preserves archaeological evidence of the engagement including military artifacts and coinage that help narrow the date to the period 222–238 AD.
The battlefield was rediscovered in December 2008 and is considered one of the most significant Roman archaeological finds in northern Germany. Ongoing excavations have provided scholars with rare physical evidence of Roman military presence deep in Germanic territory, comparable in importance to the Kalkriese battlefield and Roman camps at Bentumersiel and Hedemünden.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
Side B
1 belligerent