In 2017, two Roman bridges over the Drava river were discovered in the municipality of Rosegg (Rožek)/Emmersdorf in Carinthia (Austria). Although the existence of a bridge had been known for a long ...time it could only be identified as definitely Roman after further investigations. In addition, parts of Roman grave monuments and small finds, especially Celtic and Roman coins, have been found at the site within several years.The coin finds are particularly important as witness for the passage and use of the bridges, as they not only provide a chronological framework for the crossing of the Drava river at this point, but they also offer cultural and socio-historical information. According to this, the coins found in the area of the ancient bridges can be interpreted as sacrifices for a safe river crossing. This custom began as early as the late Latène period and was maintained until late Roman times.
In the 125 years of research, the legendary temple of Artemis was always the focus of the archaeological fieldwork, while the once densely built up sacred enclosure remained unexplored. Since 2009 ...the Austrian Archaeological Institute investigated for the first time a roman building southwest of the Temple, which was up to the present named ‘Tribune’ and whose function could be finally clarified. Due to close typological parallels as well as equipment and furnishing, the building can be identified as roman Odeion of the Early Empire.
The publication provides a detailed study of a burnt layer from Insula XLI in Flavia Solva (Wagna, Austria), dated ca. AD 170, i.e. within the period of the Marcomannic Wars. In addition to cultural ...and historical topics, the problem of historicity of archaeological features, particularly burnt layers, is given special consideration. Apart from the presentation of an exceptional archaeological feature within the eastern Alpine-Adriatic region the book provides methodical contributions to the understanding of archaeology as a historically oriented cultural science.The connection of event-historical data and archaeological features or their interpretation has been a central research concern since the beginnings of the archaeology of the Roman provinces. The affiliation of Roman provincial archaeology with the historical sciences or the historical cultural sciences has also been confirmed by different researchers (e. g. R. Fellmann, M. K. H. Eggert). For the history of the Danube provinces, the Marcomannic Wars (166–180 AD) of Marc Aurel constitute a significant and crucial chronology of historic events during the second half of the 2nd century AD. The topic of this publication deals with the consequences of these wars and their evidence in the archaeological sources. Regarding the historic events of the Marcomannic Wars, the Germanic invasion as far as Upper Italy – which probably took place during the year 170 AD – is the centerpiece of the examination. Concerning the archaeological sources, the attention focuses on an almost contemporary burnt layer in the Insula XLI of the South-Eastern Noric Municipium Flavia Solva. This research paper is a two-level approach of the connection of the mentioned event history and the archaeological evidences. The first – concrete – level introduces the burnt feature of Insula XLI and evaluates it in detail in order to illustrate in a well-founded way the following usage of the feature as a case study for the different methodical problems in connection with the topic. In order to create a comprehensible starting position for these advanced considerations, it is necessary to take a close look at the historic background, its written sources of antique writers and to examine critically some historical interpretations of the classical and ancient studies regarding the consequences of the Marcomannic Wars, in particular in connection with the case study Flavia Solva. An additional precondition for the evaluation and interpretation of the feature is the analysis of the genesis of the existing archaeological sources regarding their archaeological recovery and processing and the interpretation and reconstruction of depositional and post-depositional processes. Only these preparatory considerations allow the further methodically clean evaluation and interpretation of the features and the findings. All essential data of the findings are noted in a detailed catalogue. Thereby, a basis for an assessment and documentation of cultural-historical framework conditions is finally created. A comparison with statements made on the occasion of the connection of archaeological features – in particular in the western Danube provinces – with the Marcomannic Wars illustrates different research assessments of the sources. Significant methodical problems and uncertainties emerge which can be created in connection with the heterogeneous sources, especially the connection of archaeological features with historical events. Finally, this research paper intends to go beyond the first interpretation level concentrated in particular on the existing case study and enable considerations on a second, abstract level. However, at first is discussed – in connection with the existing case study – to what extent the results of the evaluation of the archaeological feature can be combined with the context of the event history. A catalogue of premises – whose fulfillment or non-fulfillment speaks for or against such a connection – become
In the course of research by the Austrian Archaeological Institute
(ÖAW) between 2008 and 2017 in the area of the Amber Road in
eastern Austria, a military camp dating to the early imperial period
...was discovered near Strebersdorf, from which 452 coin finds
were recovered by means of detector survey. Findings of coins
from the region date back more than 100 years, published in 1984
in the series Die Fundmünzen der römischen Zeit in Österreich
(FMRÖ). In the following, the finds from the survey will be analysed
numismatically, focusing at first on the question of the beginning
of military presence on site. Furthermore, the development
of the settlement up to the 4th century is traced, and the
end of coin circulation and settlement activity is also examined.
The beginning of coin circulation in Strebersdorf can be determined
as falling in late Augustan / early Tiberian times, which
suggests that the earliest military camp was established in the
wake of the expansions under Augustus, and probably in close
connection with the Pannonian Revolt (6–9 AD). In late Tiberian
/ early Claudian times, the coin supply broke up, and obviously
the camp was abandoned. After this, the coin finds no longer occur
in the core area of the former military camp, but shift to the
vicus, which takes a clear upswing from the times of Trajan and
Hadrian onwards. A renewed military presence from Hadrian onwards
is suggested not only by increasing numbers of coin finds,
but also by the facts that the Amber Road, as a supply road to the
Danube, had to be secured, and that local iron mining was being
conducted. The settlement seems also to have participated
in the general economic upswing in the Severan period. From
then on, the finds occur almost exclusively in the area of the
street settlement, which apparently developed as an economic
centre. In the 4th century, too, uninterrupted development can
be expected, with an absolute peak of monetary activity being
reached in the 2nd half of the century.
Aims
During the COVID-19 pandemic, hospital admissions for cardiac care have declined. However, effects on mortality are unclear. Thus, we sought to evaluate the impact of the lockdown period in ...central Germany on overall and cardiovascular deaths. Simultaneously we looked at catheterization activities in the same region.
Methods and results
Data from 22 of 24 public health-authorities in central Germany were aggregated during the pandemic related lockdown period and compared to the same time period in 2019. Information on the total number of deaths and causes of death, including cardiovascular mortality, were collected. Additionally, we compared rates of hospitalization (
n
= 5178) for chronic coronary syndrome (CCS), acute coronary syndrome (ACS), and out of hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) in 26 hospitals in this area. Data on 5,984 deaths occurring between March 23, 2020 and April 26, 2020 were evaluated. In comparison to the reference non-pandemic period in 2019 (deaths:
n
= 5832), there was a non-significant increase in all-cause mortality of 2.6% incidence rate ratio (IRR) 1.03, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.99–1.06;
p
= 0.16. Cardiovascular and cardiac mortality increased significantly by 7.6% (IRR 1.08, 95%-CI 1.01–1.14;
p
= 0.02) and by 11.8% (IRR 1.12, 95%-CI 1.05–1.19;
p
< 0.001), respectively. During the same period, our data revealed a drop in cardiac catherization procedures.
Conclusion
During the COVID-19-related lockdown a significant increase in cardiovascular mortality was observed in central Germany, whereas catherization activities were reduced. The mechanisms underlying both of these observations should be investigated further in order to better understand the effects of a pandemic-related lockdown and social-distancing restrictions on cardiovascular care and mortality.
Graphic abstract
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