Drususstein Obelisk

Lost in time, the Drususstein whispers tales of Roman Mainz. This imposing obelisk stands nearly 20 meters tall. It was originally encased in gleaming marble. The Drususstein is more than just a stone structure. It’s a cenotaph, a monument to a fallen hero, General Drusus. Roman troops erected the Drususstein in 9 BC. They built it to honor Drusus, stepson of Emperor Augustus. Drusus had founded the Mogontiacum legionary camp, which later became Mainz. He tragically died during a campaign. His soldiers mourned their leader and wished to commemorate him. Augustus approved the project, even contributing a personal inscription. The Drususstein became the center of the imperial cult in Mogontiacum. It served as the starting point for elaborate memorial services. Imagine a procession leading from the Drususstein to the grand theater of Mogontiacum. This theater held approximately 12,000 spectators, the largest north of the Alps. The theater likely hosted parts of the annual ceremonies marking Drusus’s birth and death. Over centuries, the Drususstein endured. In the Middle Ages, it was stripped of its marble and repurposed as a watchtower. A staircase and doorframe were added to the once solid structure. Today, the Drususstein stands as one of the few visible remnants of Roman Mogontiacum. Along with the Igel Column, it is a unique funerary monument north of the Alps, still in its original location. It’s a testament to a fallen general and a window into the rich Roman history of Mainz.