Envision a frontier. This is the Reste der Langmauer am Hoxberg. It is a fragment of a late Roman long wall. This wall once stretched for 72 kilometers. It served as a protective barrier.
The Reste der Langmauer am Hoxberg stands as a reminder of Roman engineering. This section lies in the Gemeinde Welschbillig. The wall was erected north of Trier. Paramilitary units under Valentinian built it between 364 and 375 AD.
This impressive structure defended an imperial domain. The domain spanned approximately 220 square kilometers. The Reste der Langmauer am Hoxberg shows the wall averaged 0.60 meters in width. It featured alternating buttresses. These supports were placed every 25 Roman feet. That is about 7.40 meters. They added strength. The buttresses measured 0.40 to 0.48 meters wide. They extended up to 0.42 meters deep.
About 100 meters south of here, a construction error was found in 1982. It revealed different construction teams. They approached their goal from opposite directions. This also marked the start or end of a pedatura. Pedaturas were mentioned in building inscriptions. One pedatura equaled 500 steps or feet.
The Reste der Langmauer am Hoxberg was capped with semi-cylindrical tiles. It lacked fortifications like towers or ditches. The wall likely stood no more than two meters high. It acted as a barrier against wildlife. It protected the fertile Muschelkalk soils. These soils were among the most productive in the Trier region.
The protected domain ensured the nearby imperial residence had supplies. This was especially important in the late 4th century.
Local historian Josef Steinhausen wrote about the Langmauer in 1925. He noted the Welschbillig region was crossed twice by the Langmauer. He described the eastern section going through the Welschbilliger Wald. It crossed the road to Kordel. This was roughly 100 meters east of the bridge. The bridge spanned the old Kordel Way. This way was built in the 1850s. The wall ran northeast through the Kanert forest. It appeared as a wide ridge. The ridge was five meters wide and one to two meters high. Sandstone and limestone were used in its construction.
Steinhausen also noted the best-preserved section was in the Kanert forest. Today, this statement still holds true. While hiking maps may not mark the Langmauer in the Kanert area, they do further south. Preserved sections exist in the Erwen forest and Haardtwald. These sections head toward Kimmlingen. These remains total about four kilometers.
Here at the Reste der Langmauer am Hoxberg, imagine the Roman builders. Picture them carefully constructing this barrier. They aimed to protect their valuable domain. This wall offers a glimpse into Roman life and strategy. It shows how they managed resources. It reveals how they defended their territory.