Around 19 BC, the Roman emperor Augustus sent more than 10,000 soldiers to this region. The Romans built a command-and-control centre on top of the Kops Plateau to oversee the battle. Their mission was to conquer Germania as far as the River Elbe.
Comfortable Roman quarters
Of course, the Roman commanders of the mighty army of Augustus were not just anyone. They came from noble Roman families, and some were even related to the emperor. The residence of the commander was fitted with all kinds of conveniences: it had beautiful wall paintings, cellars, galleries and luxurious patios. They went to great lengths to make his stay in this region as pleasant as possible.
Many parts of the command centre have been recovered during excavations. Finds have included fragments of expensive crockery and even leftovers from meals. Exclusive delicacies were brought in from far-away places such as exotic fowl and fish. The evidence suggests that the commander and his men simply continued to live their luxury Roman lifestyle in this region.
New function for the command centre
In 16 AD, emperor Tiberius decided to discontinue his conquest of Germania for the time being. As a result, it was no longer necessary to maintain the impressive command post. The camp was rebuilt in 25 AD. Many traces of horsemen and their saddlery have been discovered here. One of the most beautiful finds is a richly adorned mask that horsemen used to wear to impress their opponents. This seems to indicate that a unit of the Batavian cavalry had moved into the camp. According to historical sources, this was probably the Ala I Batavorum.
