Why were the dead buried alongside busy streets? It was so they would not be forgotten. Welcome to the Römische Gräberstraße Via Sepulcrum Mogontiaci in Mainz. This Roman road offers a glimpse into the lives and deaths of people in Mogontiacum. Mogontiacum was the Roman name for Mainz.
The Römische Gräberstraße Via Sepulcrum Mogontiaci was a burial road. It ran along the path connecting two military camps. These camps were on the Kästrich and in Weisenau. This road stretched for about 2.5 kilometers.
The Römische Gräberstraße Via Sepulcrum Mogontiaci saw burials from the 1st to the 2nd century AD. Initially, simpler graves were for soldiers. Soon, grander tombs appeared for the wealthy civilians. Romans wanted to be remembered. So, the best burial spots were right by the road. Passersby could see the graves and remember the dead.
Grave goods reveal much about life back then. For example, olive and date seeds were found here. These suggest Mogontiacum’s legionary camp got supplies from Southern Europe. The Römische Gräberstraße Via Sepulcrum Mogontiaci even held clues about civilian life. The tombstone of Blussus a shipowner stands as a testament to this. It depicts him his wife and possibly his son or house slave.
However, this burial ground lost importance in the next century. Romans began using other burial sites in Mogontiacum.
Excavations occurred here from 1982 to 1992. Archaeologists thoroughly documented the area. Today, modern buildings cover much of the former Römische Gräberstraße Via Sepulcrum Mogontiaci. Yet, a grave enclosure remains at Bettelpfad and Göttelmannstraße. It shows what the Via Sepulcrum once looked like. Explanations of burial rites are available for visitors too. The Römische Gräberstraße Via Sepulcrum Mogontiaci reminds us of Roman customs. It links us to those who lived and died here centuries ago.