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The importance of a strategic point at the
confluence of the Váh and the Danube raised during the Marcomannic
wars. Brigetio was highly probably one of the Roman starting points
for the military campaigns against the Quadi. At these times a first
fortification was build on the opposite bank of the Danube - an
earth-and-timber fort. Its exact size is still unknown, but its area
was certainly larger than 3 hectares. The fortification system of
the fort was of two deep V-shaped ditches and probably the earth
ramparts. From its inner area the remnants of the eleven military
barracks with regular spacing organised in the street system were
excavated. They were constructed of the mud-bricks and probably had
pitched and reed or thatch thatched roofs. These spacious barracks
with thick outer walls were of a rectangle shape (44-48 m long and
11-12 m wide). Their inner area was split by the narrow walls to two
sections with three rooms in each of them. The individual rooms were
further split into smaller units by wattle-and-daub walls. The
floors were mostly of the trampled earth, but also mud-brick floors
were found in few rooms. The post holes in the floors, fireplaces
and remnants of the heating system are the only sources documenting
their simple furnishing. The entrances to the individual rooms are
showed by the gaps in walls with the width 90-100 cm. The rain water
from the roofs was drained into gutters dug along the walls and led
to the central drainage system.
In the excavated barracks
and also in their proximity the traces of a fire were visible. On
the floors of the rooms, in the gutters and on the streets the
fragments of broken and also complete pots, weapons, other
military equipment, and a large amount of the iron nails from the
sandals, still in the shape of the original sole were found.
Therefore, an unexpected German attack, could be considered as a
cause of this catastrophe.
The coins gives the most important dating
information about the time of the destruction of this fort. Most
of the coins were issued in the time of Marcus Aurelius from the
period of the Marcomannic wars. The latest ones were issued
between December of 178 AD and the spring of 179 AD. The
destruction of the earth-and-timber fort in Iža than could be
dated to an extraordinary date of 179 AD. According to the
historical sources the Marcomanni and Quadi invades the Roman
territory first time in 170 AD. At this time a high number of
North-Pannonian fortresses on the frontier were destroyed, and
badly damaged was also a legionary fortress in Brigetio. The Roman
counterattacks started in 172 AD and lasted until 175 AD, when the
Emperor signed the peace with Marcomanni and Quadi tribes. The
Germanic tribes had to abandon the proximity of the frontier along
the Danube and leave it under Roman control. In 177 AD the riots
on the northern frontier broke out again. One year later Marcus
Aurelius and his son Commodus had to leave Rome and start a new
war campaign. The new main counterattack took place in 179 AD. On
the territory of Marcomanni and Quadi tribes, numerous military
units with the total force of 40 000 men were placed and stayed
over winter.
The
earth-and-timber fort in Iža was therefore destroyed during the
second phase of the Marcomannic wars. This precise dating, and the
fact that the Germanic tribes were able to invade and destroy the
fort in the close proximity of Brigetio, points to still week
position of the Romans at the frontier during this period. The
same way it is clear, that the fort was not founded before the
Marcomannic wars. Only with the great difficulties it would be
able to avoid the first attacks, which destroyed the main
legionary fortress in Brigetio itself. It is therefore probable,
that it was founded after 175 AD, after the declaration of peace.
It was not build as a temporary starting point for the war
campaigns to the territory of Quadi, but as a permanent frontier
fort. The role of the soldiers seated at this fort was perhaps to
secure that the agreements of peace are kept, control the
movements of Quadi in the wider grounds of Brigetio and to protect
the adjacent frontier against the invasions of the enemy. The
weapons - namely the long cavalry swords (spatha), but also
numerous arrowheads and bone components of bows, spear- and
lance-heads suggest that the local garrison included mostly
mounted archers. In the existent written sources or preserved
inscriptions no information about this fort is left. Therefore it
is very difficult to specify which military unit served here.
Moreover, it was not able to fulfil its role, as it was not able
to protect their own fort, but left it in a rush and chaos.
 
 
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