Is it truly possible to envision the sheer scale of a defensive system stretching approximately 1260 km? This is the Cs\u00f6rsz \u00e1rok. It is an ancient earthwork whose purpose and origin still spark debate among historians.
The Cs\u00f6rsz \u00e1rok is not just one ditch. It is a network of ancient defensive lines. These lines encircle the Alf\u00f6ld. The Alf\u00f6ld is the Great Hungarian Plain. It begins near the Dunakanyar. Then, it stretches east along the northern edge of the Alf\u00f6ld to the Tisza River. Near Debrecen, it turns southeast. It extends all the way to the Lower Danube.
The Cs\u00f6rsz \u00e1rok is also known by many names. Locals call it \u00d6rd\u00f6g \u00e1rka. That name means Devil’s Ditch. It is also called Avar \u00e1rok, \u00d6rd\u00f6g\u00e1rok, \u00d6rd\u00f6gborozda, Rapsonn\u00e9 \u00fatja, \u00d6rd\u00f6gsz\u00e1nt\u00e1s and Kakasbor\u00e1zda.
Some believe the Cs\u00f6rsz \u00e1rok was built by the Sarmatians. They were possibly under Roman direction or independently. These tribes sought protection from Germanic tribes to the north. The Cs\u00f6rsz \u00e1rok consisted of a ditch and a rampart. It was possibly reinforced with a wooden structure.
The first written record of the Cs\u00f6rsz \u00e1rok dates back to 1067. The document refers to it as “magna fovea.” This Latin phrase means a great ditch. It stretched all the way to Aruksceguj.
For over 1600 years, the Cs\u00f6rsz \u00e1rok remained clearly visible. However, large-scale land management in the 19th century has erased much of it. Today, only small sections of the Cs\u00f6rsz \u00e1rok can be clearly identified. Aerial archaeology is very helpful in pinpointing the location of the Cs\u00f6rsz \u00e1rok.
The Cs\u00f6rsz \u00e1rok avoided loose, sandy soil. In sandy soil it would have quickly been filled. In marshy areas its construction suggests different terrain conditions than today.
The Romans may have used the Cs\u00f6rsz \u00e1rok as a frontier. It was called Limes Sarmatiae. It served as a defense against invading barbarian tribes. It protected the Roman Empire until the late 4th century.
It is believed that Roman Emperor Constantine the Great ordered its construction. This happened sometime between 324 and 337 AD. Later, around 352 AD, a four-kilometer-long rampart near K\u00f6r\u00f6slad\u00e1ny was built after the Germans breached earlier defenses.
The dimensions of the Cs\u00f6rsz \u00e1rok are impressive. The ditch was 2-5 meters deep and 5-8 meters wide. The entire system stretched for approximately 1260 kilometers. It enclosed an area of about 60-65,000 square kilometers. Constructing the Cs\u00f6rsz \u00e1rok involved moving approximately 10 million cubic meters of earth. It took about 10 million workdays to build. Around 5500 people were involved in its construction. The building “speed” was about 700 meters per day. That is calculated with 15 construction years and 5 work months per year.
Today, portions of the Cs\u00f6rsz \u00e1rok have been reconstructed. These sections are on display at the M3 Archeopark in Polg\u00e1r. Another small reconstructed section can be seen east of Debrecen near the Zsuzsi Forest Railway.
One particular section of the Cs\u00f6rsz \u00e1rok near Debrecen was declared protected in 2012. Another section in Heves County is also under protection.
Legends surround the Cs\u00f6rsz \u00e1rok. One links its construction to the Lombards and a king named R\u00e1d. It is said that Cs\u00f6rsz, an Avar king, died by lightning strike near the ditch during its construction.
Another tale tells of a king who built the ditch for his bride. She demanded to arrive by boat over dry land. The ditch took decades to build. A boy recognized his long-lost father working on the ditch. The boy then killed the tyrannical king responsible for its construction.
So as you stand here, consider the many possibilities about this ancient structure. Was it Roman? Sarmatian? A king’s folly or a people’s defense? The Cs\u00f6rsz \u00e1rok remains a captivating mystery etched into the Hungarian landscape.