Fitz Jenő (szerk.): Religions and Cults in Pannonia. Exhibiton an Székesfehérvár, Csók István Gallery 15 May - 30 September 1996 – Szent István Király Múzeum közleményei: A. sorozat 33. (1998)

THE TEMPLE DISTRICT ON PFAFFENBERG F. Humer - W. Jobst - G. Kremer The Pfaffenberg, located east of Carnuntum, rises out of The Hainburg Mountain Chain forming its western ridge. The citizens of Carnuntum built and dedicated a temple district to Iuppiter Optimus Maximus and the divine emperors on its plateau. This mountain closely linked with Carnuntum's political and military history. In the last years, this unique site at the border along the river Danube {Danube limes) has been sacrificed and turned into a quarry at Bad Deutsch-Altenburg. In the years from 1970 to 1985 there were emergency excavations under the leadership of W. Jobst and the monuments were dug up and placed in safety. The finds are supposed to be exhibited in a new museum in Bad Deutsch-Altenburg. The construction of the temple district on Pfaffenberg was begun towards the end of the 1 st century A.D. An industrious building was brought into action in the time of the emperor Hadrian who granted the civilian city of Carnuntum municipal status (municipium). A lot of inscriptions date back to the times between Antoninus Pius and Septimius Severus. The cult reached its height at the time of the first Tetrarchy when the duty to sacrifice had to be strictly observed. The total destruction of the holy site took place at the end of the 4th century. It was then presumably overrun and destroyed by Christians. The ritual site, rising above the city of Carnuntum, was composed of two smaller Iuppiter temples (temples I and III) and one building comprising three naves (temple II), wich was dedicated to the Capitoline Triad: Iuppiter, Iuno and Minerva. A small amphitheatre with stands for the spectatores served as a ritual theatre for the cult. In the course of four centuries, numerous memorials, both large and small, were built and consacrated. A group of foundations excavated in the northwestern part of the temple district (E, F, G) played an important role in the worshipping of the emperor (Ara Augustorum). During rituals, sacrifices were made and the images (imagines) of the emperor were displayed. Tall column memorials probably were raised on numerous square foundations. Theatre pieces praising the emperor (ludi) were performed at the amphitheatre. Sacrifices were especially made to the Roman god Iuppiter, who was also called K(arnuntinus) in the period of the Tetrarchy and the emperors gods. When the inscriptions give a concrete date, it is always the 11th June (III Idus Junias). According to parallel findings in Dacia, one can probably associate date with the Jubilee of the first capitol Savaria (today's Szombathely which is also known as Steinamanger). There is a connection between consecrations to the goddess of victory, Victoria, and her imagine and military action along the Danube borders. In the course of the Marcomannic Wars, in an offensive against this germán tribe, the "lightning flash and rain" miracle took place as described by authors of antiquity and depicted in column of Marcus Aurelius in Rome. The memorials on Pfaffenberg were donated mostly by veterans and Roman citizens who settled in the canabae legionis. They called themselves cives Romani consistentes Carnunti intra leugam. The organisation and execution of the cult was directed by a special group of priests called the magistri montis. 23