The first Romans reached Mogontiacum, which is located in present-day Germany, in 57 or 56 BCE during the Gallic War—a series of military campaigns waged by Julius Caesar against Gallic Tribes.
With its location at the confluence of the Rhine and Mainz Rivers, the region quickly became an area of strategic importance to the Roman Empire. After the end of Roman rule, the settlement continued, becoming the city of Mainz, Germany. The artifacts in Life on the Roman Frontier were collected in Mainz by University of Tennessee historian Arthur Haas in the early 1960s from the rubble and landfill created by urban renewal.
From building materials and sacred goddesses to dishes and military boots, the objects in this exhibit give us a glimpse into the everyday lives of soldiers and civilians who lived in the area.
Exhibit curated by Robert Darby, Visiting Scholar, University of Tennessee School of Art