Arrabona - Múzeumi közlemények 13. (Győr, 1971)

Gabler D.: Research in the Canabe of Arrabona

More recent buildings are attested by the post-holes (Fig. 29), piercing through earlier objects (period VI). In section 4 the excavators could unearth a portion of a minor, self-standing edifice, having a stamped floor and a wattled wall plastered with adobe probably (Fig. 38). In the second half of the fourth century the canabae may have been depopulated already; the graves from the end of the fourth and from the fifth century, unearthed in 1949/1950, having a poorish furniture, lay in the premises of the building or in some cases above the walls. Compared with the parts of Roman walls found in other parts of the city and with the ground-plan of the early medieval castle, the remains of edifices uncovered by our excavations show that the canabae of Arrabona was constructed according to a regular system. Thus the excavations at Széchenyi Square have also directed the establishment of the axis and ground-plan of the Arrabona camp. Above earlier wooden houses, major edifices made their appearance in the canabae as early as in the first half of the second century. Both of them allude to a more pretentious building activity than observed in the canabae-s of Eastern Pannónia as far; this is most probably an expression of the material benefits allotted to the auxiliary unit, serving in a fortress which kept the important crossing-place and crossroad secure and has been one of the strongholds of earliest occupation. The supply of the eguestrian units was helped by the craftsmen whose activities were proved by the uncovered ovens, cinder-pits and tools. The periods established in the course of the excavations will furnish a firm foundation for a chronological classification of Early Roman archaeological material. The results of the excavation are presented in a table at the end of the paper. Dénes Gabler 54