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Glossary entry

German term or phrase:

Kastelle am Limes

English translation:

Roman forts on the Limes

Added to glossary by Wendy Streitparth
Jan 15, 2019 15:37
5 yrs ago
2 viewers *
German term

Kastelle am Limes

German to English Science History
Getreide und Gemüse bezog aus dem Hinterland der Kastelle am Limes

Ich bin der Ansicht, dass hier Roman forts gemeint sind, aber ich habe auch schon mal Castle gesehen, was mir eher befremdlich vorkommt.

Da ich mir aber nicht sicher bin, wäre ich Euch für Eure KOmmentare dankbar.

Herzliche Grüße im Voraus.

Inge
Proposed translations (English)
4 +1 Roman fort
3 +3 castellum on the Limes Germanicus.....(where?)
5 Kastelle am Limes
4 Milecastles on the Limes Germanicus
Change log

Jan 15, 2019 19:14: Murad AWAD changed "Field" from "Other" to "Science"

Jan 19, 2019 18:25: Wendy Streitparth Created KOG entry

Jan 19, 2019 18:26: Wendy Streitparth changed "Edited KOG entry" from "<a href="/profile/1219907">Wendy Streitparth's</a> old entry - "Kastelle am Limes"" to ""Roman fort""

Discussion

Björn Vrooman Jan 16, 2019:
PS2 Now, that got me really confused. Unless there's some grammatical mistake, Thomas was indeed correct. It is das Kastell, which means that the possessive would be des Kastells, while the plural would be die Kastelle.

Back to forts and fortlets.
Björn Vrooman Jan 15, 2019:
PS Never mind, I can open it now (had to remove a paranthesis at the end of your posted link). The map gives you only two options for the type of Kastell, which isn't that persuasive, IMO. I think, though, that we both gave Inge enough info to decide.

Best
Björn Vrooman Jan 15, 2019:
Hello Wendy Conversely, I wasn't suggesting that fort isn't an option. I can't open your Wiki upload link, but I can't find any evidence that would support your assumption of this being an Auxiliarkastell.

On the contrary, the one in Rheinbrohl seems to be called Kleinkastell Rheinbrohl:
https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kleinkastell_Rheinbrohl


From an ENS (Kleinkastell/fortlet):
https://perlineamvalli.wordpress.com/2015/06/16/orl-day-one-...

From one of the Wiki links:
"Kleinkastelle hatten oft nur eine Größe von 300 m². Die Besatzungsstärke schwankte zwischen 12 und 80 Mann. In der Urform gab es nur ein Tor und einen Graben."
https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Römisches_Militärlager#Kleinka...

As said, small fort would work for me too. Also,it's part of the UNESCO World Heritage, so it should be listed in English somewhere (I did post a UN link below, but it doesn't shed any light on the matter). I can't find it, though.

Have a great evening
Wendy Streitparth Jan 15, 2019:
@ Björn: I certainly wasn't disputing the existence of the word "fortlet" - I just dislike it. Small fort is also by far the most frequently used phrase. And as research now shows (see my answer box), Rheinbrohl had in any case an "auxiliary fort". I wonder if they know that?!
If we had the entire sentence, we might all want to revise our suggestions again and I still think Roman forts is a good option as it covers all possibilities.
Björn Vrooman Jan 15, 2019:
Thanks, Wendy Somehow, I missed that post or read too quickly.

Still, while fortlet may not be in the BrE dictionary, I don't see why it would be an unfortunate choice. Not only did I post a list about "forts and fortlets" in Scotland, but I also linked to an article by the BBC. There are other UK links:
https://www.exmoorher.co.uk/hbsmr-web/record.aspx?UID=MDE102...
http://roman-britain.co.uk/places/restormel.htm
http://www.breconbeaconstourism.co.uk/waun-ddu-roman-fortlet
https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1...
https://www.southwestcoastpath.org.uk/walksdb/251/
http://www.armadale.org.uk/castlegreg.htm
http://www.doorsopendays.org.uk/places/dumfries-galloway/dur...

From the National Trust:
"Along the way you will pass a Roman Fortlet and walk through ancient sessile oak woodlands."
https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/heddon-valley/trails/heddon...

If you hover over "Fortlet" at this link, you'll see a gov.uk definition:
https://canmore.org.uk/site/41272/outerwards

Best wishes
Wendy Streitparth Jan 15, 2019:
@ Björn: siehe Diskussionseintrag von Inge um 17.16. / In any case I have revised my answer (not to be outdone by Ramey!).
Wendy Streitparth Jan 15, 2019:
During the early-second century, for the first time in Britain, auxiliary cohorts began to be split into smaller detachments and housed in two (or more) purpose-built encampments. The camp which contained the commanding-officer's house and the regimental H.Q. are nowadays termed 'small forts', while the other type of camp without any administrative buildings are called 'fortlets'. Small forts were also built to accommodate the officers and men of small auxiliary units called numeri (sing. numerus), and for this reason should be called 'numerus forts' in order to avoid confusion. The original Roman terms for all these smaller types of fortification are not known.
http://roman-britain.co.uk/places/throp.htm

It all depends just what there was in Rheinbrohl. I have a sneaking feeling it was just a watchtower, in which case I would still go for outpost.
Ramey Rieger (X) Jan 15, 2019:
I live very close to such a Kastell, it's tiny really, for maybe 20-30 legionnaires
Ramey Rieger (X) Jan 15, 2019:
SMALL Roman fort, huh, Wendy?
Ramey Rieger (X) Jan 15, 2019:
SCRATCH THAT Roman fortlet on the Germanic frontier
Wendy Streitparth Jan 15, 2019:
@ Inge: Then I would use Roman fort.
Ramey Rieger (X) Jan 15, 2019:
Hi Inge Why can't you use Latin, it's so much more elegant than fortlet! SIGH!
Okay, fortlet on the Roman border wall in Germany
IngePreiss (asker) Jan 15, 2019:
What I am speaking of is a relatively small "castellum" at the beginning of the Limes here in Germany in Rheinbrohl. What is the appropriate term? I am not allowed to use Latin, the text is to be positioned inside our hands-on museum
Björn Vrooman Jan 15, 2019:
Why... ...didn't you use this one:
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fortlet

See also
https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/430
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antonine_Wall
https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/stuart-forster/travel-photo...

A castellum is the diminutive form of castrum (see link below).

The idea was good, of course, but I'm not sure the asker is supposed to sprinkle the text with Latin terms.

Best wishes
Ramey Rieger (X) Jan 15, 2019:
Not long at all, Björn https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Limes

CHEERS!
Björn Vrooman Jan 15, 2019:
That didn't take long... https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kastell
https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Römisches_Militärlager
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castra

Cf. https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liste_der_Kastelle_des_Donau-I...

Best

Proposed translations

+1
47 mins
Selected

Roman fort

A stylised watchtower shows hikers the way from Rheinbrohl
on the Rhine to Bad Gögging on the Danube. People who want
to gain an in-depth knowledge and understanding of the Limes with its
surveillance systems and barriers (towers, palisades, moats, ramparts,
walls) and of the forts should go on a hiking tour.
https://hadrianswallcountry.co.uk/sites/default/files/2016_D...

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2019-01-15 16:44:39 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Bearing in mind that this was indeed a very small "Anlage", maybe "Roman outpost" would be more appropriate.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 4 hrs (2019-01-15 19:38:50 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Fortlet seems to me a very unfortunate word (makes me think of tartlet!) and 'small fort' would be preferable - at least to me!

"Small fort" is castellum, which Vegetius explains is the diminutive of castra. He conceives of them as fortified outposts to be manned by cavalry protecting a supply route; i.e., a base from which to conduct patrols.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castra

The Roman frontier (limes in Latin) demarked the extent of the Roman Empire...... with small forts (castella) at regular intervals to provide security against invasion.
https://www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk/sites/default/files/BAR3...

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 4 hrs (2019-01-15 20:13:56 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Have now discovered that Rheinbrohl had an "Auxiliarkastell" (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/06/Limes2.p... which in English is an "auxiliary fort":

Auxiliary Forts: These were generally rectangular or square in outline, posessed of a substantial rampart and may have several ditch systems. They were constructed at first mainly of timber but later in stone, and housed troops from allied and Romanized nations, who would become full Roman citizens on discharge, the Auxilia. These troops were not as highly trained (or as well paid) as were the citizen troops of the Roman Legions, and although they made their own Marching Camps, their Garrison Forts were actually built by the legionaries.
http://roman-britain.co.uk/places/_min.htm

So it was a small auxiliary fort!
Peer comment(s):
agree Thomas Pfann : The text does not reference one particular fort but talks about the forts along the limes in general - some will be smaller, some larger. 'Roman forts' is general enough for that purpose, or you might say 'Roman forts and fortlets'.
23 mins
Thanks again, Thomas. You might want to revise your opinion now that I've revised mine!
Something went wrong...
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "Thank you so much to all of your for your helpful comments I have opted for forts as they refert to forts on the Limes in general and Wendy is right, there are bigger and smaller ones. Thanks again, I appreciate your help very much. Inge"
+3
20 mins

castellum on the Limes Germanicus.....(where?)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Limes

Hinterland implies a smaller fort, hence castellum



--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2019-01-15 16:40:24 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Officially:

small/ minor Roman fort/fortlet on the German frontier
Peer comment(s):
agree Björn Vrooman : You did say smaller fort; fortlet or small fort it is then. According to Wiki, "scholastic convention tends toward the use of the words camp...and fortress as a translation of castrum." The German doesn't use Latin either, so you better anglicize.
35 mins
Yes, I did.
agree Michael Martin, MA : Kastelle is plural. Make that castella on the limes.
1 hr
Mercí
agree Wendy Streitparth : Sorry Ramey, hadn't digested that you had already made such a comprehensive suggestion. / Guess we both got there in the end!/ Oh, and all the forts had a Hinterland, whether they were large or small!
3 hrs
All's well, Wendy, you be well, too!
Something went wrong...
6 hrs

Milecastles on the Limes Germanicus

Roman fortifications - such as Hadrian's Wall in the UK and the "Limes" in Germany - had forts, towers with gates and similar defensive structures at regular intervals.
These were called milecastles.

Quote: A milecastle was a small fort (fortlet), a rectangular fortification built during the period of the Roman Empire. They were placed at intervals of approximately one Roman mile along several major frontiers, for example Hadrian's Wall in Great Britain (Britannia in the Roman period), hence the name.

Source: www.novae.uw.edu.pl/Lecture/Lecture 7 The Limes.pdf
Page 19
Something went wrong...
17 hrs

Kastelle am Limes

Keep it like this. Pronoun!
Reference:

http://www.linguee.com

Peer comment(s):
neutral Thomas Pfann : Pronoun?
2 hrs
Something went wrong...
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