Roman Museum Schwarzenacker

Temple gardens in the Roman Museum in Schwarzenacker

Each year more new and sensational archaeological finds are being made in Central Europe, and they’re waiting for you to re-discover them. Last year a brand new Roman museum opened its doors to the public in the town of Schwarzenacker, a town in Germany. This brand new museum houses not only a collection of unique artifacts depicting the every day lives of Iron Age Romans and Celts, but it’s also an archaeological dig-site in progress. 

Schwarzenacker (which means “Black Acre” in English) used to be a thriving Roman-Gallic town in Gaul. Of course, that’s not the original name of the town. Unfortunately it’s been lost to history. Based on the extensive ruins uncovered, archaeologists are certain Schwarzenacker was an important trading center located on the crossroads between four major Roman-Gallic cities: Metz (Divodurum) and Strasbourg (Argentoratum) in modern-day France; Mainz (Mogontiacum) and Trier (Treverorum) in modern-day Germany.

The archaeological record shows much evidence that the town was a thriving Roman/Celtic community. Most of the better artifacts are religious cult objects, found side-by-side in temples dedicated to Mercury, the Roman God of commerce and Epona, the Celtic horse Goddess. Historically Epona was worshiped by Celtic horse breeders and wagoners. The fact that both these particular deities were worshiped side-by-side points to the fact that Schwarzenacker was an important Roman-Gallic trade center.

The Celtic clan who lived in Schwarzenacker were the Mediomatrici; a clan who belonged to the Belgae Nation. The Mediomatrici are one of the best examples that not all Celtic clans were enemies of Rome. They had very good reasons for cooperating with the Romans. For centuries they’d fought against a Germanic clan known as the Alemanni, who belonged to the Suebi Nation. It’s the age-old fight over dominance of the lush and fertile Upper Rhine River Valley and the Saar Region. Both lay claim to the entire Valley as rightfully theirs. Fights between the Germans and Gauls for dominance over this area have lasted all the way into the middle of the 20th century.

When the Mediomatrici Celts formed an alliance with the Romans they not only succeeded in driving the Germans out of the Rhine River Valley, but became rich through “government contracts” for providing the Roman Army with horses, wagons, food, clothing, personnel and weaponry. But Pax Romana didn’t last forever. It only lasted as long as Rome had enough money and resources to govern Gaul, and so, in the year of 276 CE, the Germanic Alemanni returned to sack and loot Schwarzenacker and drive the Celts back to to the other side of the Saar River.

Today you can see the restored temple gardens dedicated to the Godf Mercury, along with a few Roman-Gallic settlement buildings. The museum houses a myriad of unique Roman and Celtic artifacts. The museum also offers an interactive program for experiencing first-hand what Roman-Gallic life was like in 1st Century CE.

If you would like more information about the true Roman-Celtic experience in Iron Age Europe, contact us here at Days of Yore Travel.

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The Iron Maiden of the Dark Ages

The Original Iron Maiden of Nuremberg

The Dark Ages. That period in history that sends a tingle of fright down our spines with its tales of horror; of how people were punished and tortured. Paradoxically the more barbaric it was, the more fascinating people find it – particularly when it comes to separating what Hollywood shows us, and what really happened.

The Kriminalmuseum in Rothenburg ob der Tauber, a wonderfully preserved medieval town in Bavaria, has a museum with one of the largest collections of punishment and torture devices in Europe. Here you will find, like in the photograph above, the original Iron Maiden.

Days of Yore Travel can take you here to see all of the things that were commonplace in dark medieval dungeons, and give you a more accurate picture what law and order were like in everyday medieval life in the Holy Roman Empire, including a accompanying the Night Watchman on his walk around the tower walls.

If you want the real dark medieval experience, please write to us here at Days of Yore Travel. 

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What Does a Real Medieval Castle Look Like?

Wartburg Castle from the west side

Many people get a picture of grey stone walls, round rook towers, a draw-bridge and moat in their mind’s eye. Closer to the truth is that most medieval castles are a hodge-podge of different architectural styles and periods, accumulated from each generation adding their own designs onto the castle. Real medieval castles are often a recording of time and technology, revealing the changes and advances in the military castle strategy, which evolved from primitive round towers with simple walls into complex keeps with several lines of defense.

The Wartburg Castle, known as the “most German of all castles”, is a typical example of the evolution of the medieval castle. Founded in the High Middle Age, it has survived more than a millennium and reflects all the architectural styles of the centuries of generations who called in home. Now a UNESCO World Heritage Culture Sight this true medieval castle waiting to be discovered by you.

But Days of Yore Travel doesn’t just want to show you this castle. We want to help you re-live the medieval experience. Come with us and re-live the original Sängerkrieg, the minstrel duel between the legendary medieval poets Walther von der Vogelweide and Wolfram von Eschenbach – two courtly minstrels who brought chivalry and courtly manners into castles, preserved through Wagner’s Opera Tannhäuser. If you would like to relive the 13th century duel of who the better courtly minstrel was, please write to us about travelling back into the Days of Yore.

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Porta Nigra - The Black Gate

Porta Nigra - The Black Gate at night

It's hard to imagine long ago there once was a large and impressive Roman city in Germany, but that's what Trier or Augustus Trevori was - Emperor Augustus' city in the land of the Celtic clan of the Trevori. This ancient metropole on the Mosel river has an entire program of interactive re-discovery about this magnificent gate along with the other Roman sites to see. It received its name from the locals, because the grey sandstone oxidizes and turns naturally black - hence the name Porta Nigra or the 'Black Gate'

If you are looking for an authentic 'Roman Holiday' - not just seeing this magnificent monument of Roman architecture, but an in-depth experience with living history, please write to us for more information about Days of Yore Travel. 

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The Magic of the Celtic World of Glauberg

Glauberg is a magical place - the site of an ancient Celtic burial ground. Come feel the magic of Glauberg and re-discovered its ancient secrets.



How would you like to experience the magic of ancient Celtic lore? Not just see it, but live it?
Write to us if you want to travel back in time to the Days of Yore.

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