Carsten Amrhein is a tall, quiet man with dark hair and a decisive look to his face. Almost as if he were a true Roman, if you want to imagine them like him. “Like in the Roman Age!” is one of his favourite sayings at the Römerkastell Saalburg, located only a stone’s throw away from the city of Frankfurt am Main and part of the Roman Limes UNESCO World Heritage. “Like in the Roman Age” is exactly how I feel shortly after, thanks to wonderful storytelling & dressing skills of Mrs Tritschler, my local Roman guide at the fortified Kastell. “The former German Emperor Wilhelm has rebuilt this northern watch tower & fortification of the Roman Empire about 100 years ago … of course being both an enthusiastic archaeologist and financing the whole venture, it was his view that prevailed in the reconstruction”, Mrs Tritschler smiles while taking me on a walk around the military castle.
Well, without the Emperor’s enthusiasm, we would now only come to watch the remains of the Roman LIMES, stones and a dike hidden somewhere in the forest. However now, a mighty Roman castle rises in front of me. It allows me to dive into history and resurface again through experience: Being clad like a traditional Roman lady, for instance. And of course when tasting the Roman Taberna with the likes of Roman “Mulsum” wine or spicy Roman sausages. Surely, Romans must have been gourmets, too …
Arriving at Saalburg castle, only literally a few kilometres away from the bustling city of Frankfurt today, reaching back into a history of almost 2.000 years.
Here, I am being welcomed by the team of the museum director Dr. Amrhein, his colleague & local Roman guide Barbara Tritschler (who really knows her way round history as well as entertaining visitors to Roman tales!).
Only a little later, I find myself here being clad like a Roman lady. The castle museum offers many interactive activities for both children and happy travellers like myself. 😀
So what is MULSUM possibly made of? How fancy can Roman knickers be? And what do “Lucanic Sausages” taste like ??
I’m loving it. Seriously: Don’t you sometimes enjoy travelling like a kid, playful, curious, open-minded and enthusiastic for the many details of everyday life, very old as in the case of the Romans … ? Here at the Römerkastell Saalburg, authenticity & personal experience do prevail in all the offers around the site. The food is delightful really, using old Roman recipes and ingredients as a base. “When we do Roman festivals, I always tell ‘our Romans’ to smoke or have their Cola only behind the former sleeping quarters of the Romans and out of sight of everyone else”, Mr Amrheiner smiles. “Here, we want visitors to feel as if they were back in the year 200 AD!” This was the heyday of the fortified castle: Many thousand Romans lived here together with their families back then, Frankfurt being only a small market place down by the river Main … quite incredible, isn’t it?
Roman shoes being shown by charming expert guide Mrs Tritschler: Quite close to modern sandals?
I love this Roman pair of knickers … aren’t they great? 😀
Today, the atmosphere here is none of hardship nor fighting, but rather peaceful and charming. No frightening “Alemannen” on the horizon, either!
The former German Emperor Wilhelm laid the foundation for the resurrection of the castle here, almost 2000 years after it has been abandoned.
I follow the signs all the way into the “Centuria Taberna” …
… where we are being served great food & wine: “Mulsum”, like the Romans called it, is made out of wine and honey as well as spices, and so are the sausages and mushrooms we taste. Yummy!
Enjoy your meal there! “Salutate” – or what is it that the Romans might have said? 😉
Roman chicken tastes nice and is especially popular as a dish here, using a unique combination of herbs & sauce for seasoning.
This nice young man is fulfilling our every wish, or almost 😉 Delightful Roman dessert completes our three-course-meal at the Römerkastell Saalburg.
PS: Somehow, I always end up talking about food while travelling. Think I can’t go otherwise, any more. Not even if I visit the old Romans at the LIMES World Heritage here in Germany. Actually, especially not … I do hope you enjoy. 😀
Disclaimer: I have been invited by the German Tourist Board in order to travel to & experience several World Heritage Sites in Germany. All opinions are my own.