Residence of Great Emperors
At this place, the Roman Emperor Antoninus Philosophus, better known as Marcus Aurelius, resided for a period of three years. His stay at Carnuntum was connected with his long and difficult wars against the Marcomanni, a Germanic people who lived in regions corresponding largely to modern Moravia. From this important military base along the Danube, the emperor directed campaigns intended to secure the northern frontier of the Roman Empire.
Marcus Aurelius did not end his life at Carnuntum, but his presence there shows how central the city was to Roman strategy. After these campaigns, he died at Vindobona, known today as Vienna. Carnuntum thus stands closely connected with the final years of one of Rome’s most thoughtful and philosophically minded rulers Guided Round Tours Turkey.
This city was also the scene of another important imperial event. It was here that Septimius Severus was proclaimed Emperor of Rome by the German legions. Their support allowed him to seize power and begin a new imperial dynasty. This event further confirms Carnuntum’s importance as a military center where the loyalty of the legions could determine the fate of the empire.
Destruction by Attila the Hun
The Fall of a Great City
Despite its former glory, Carnuntum did not escape destruction. In later centuries, the city was devastated during the invasions of Attila the Hun, whose campaigns brought ruin to many Roman towns across central Europe. During these violent incursions, Carnuntum was laid waste, its buildings destroyed, and its population dispersed.
From that time onward, the city never recovered its former importance. What had once been a flourishing Roman metropolis gradually fell into decay and was abandoned. The destruction marked the end of Carnuntum as a living city, though not the end of its historical significance.
Visible Remains of Ancient Grandeur
Traces Still Seen in the Landscape
Even though grass now grows where ancient Carnuntum once stood, many clear signs of its past greatness remain. To the careful and observant eye, the foundations of houses, the lines of streets, and the layout of the old city can still be traced upon the ground. These remains silently testify to the organized urban life that once existed there Carnuntum and Its Roman Importance.
One of the most remarkable features of the site is the vast number of Roman coins that have been found over many years and continue to be discovered even today. Such coins appear in such large quantities that local people are often well supplied with them. During my visit, I personally purchased a considerable number of these coins, which serve as tangible reminders of the city’s long Roman occupation.
A Chance Discovery
A Coin Unearthed by Fortune
While walking among these ancient ruins, I was accompanied by Mr. Donellan, an Irish gentleman who was traveling with me at the time. As we explored the site together and reflected upon the fallen greatness of this once-powerful city, chance itself offered a striking reminder of the past. By sheer accident, Mr. Donellan struck his foot against a silver Roman coin, which lay hidden just beneath the surface of the soil.
This small and unexpected discovery symbolized the richness of Carnuntum’s archaeological heritage. Even centuries after its destruction, the earth continues to yield objects that connect the present to the distant Roman past. Carnuntum may be silent and overgrown, but its history still speaks through the ruins and relics scattered across its fields.
