Elewijt vicus
Roman roads and settlements near the Elewijt vicus | |
Location | Belgium |
---|---|
Region | Flanders |
Coordinates | 50°58′07″N 04°29′47″E / 50.96861°N 4.49639°ECoordinates: 50°58′07″N 04°29′47″E / 50.96861°N 4.49639°E |
Type | Roman site |
Part of | Elewijt, Zemst |
History | |
Founded | first century |
Abandoned | fourth century |
In the Roman period there was an important settlement (vicus) on the territory of the present-day village of Elewijt (part of Zemst, Flemish Brabant, Belgium). It was located on the junction of the major Roman road Tongeren-Boulogne and a secondary road (deverticulum). In the early first century, a temporary military camp was built and not much later a village started to emerge. At the end of the second century, the village was ravaged by Germanic peoples, after which it was slowly rebuilt with a completely different ground plan. The vicus kept existing as a nameworthy village until the late third century, it would not recover from a second heavy attack at the end of this period. The present day village of Elewijt emerged half a mile south of the old town center and cannot be seen as the successor of the vicus.
Location
Elewijt was located on the major Roman road connecting the eastern city of Tongeren with the western city of Boulogne. The nearby vici where those of Tienen, Asse and Rumst.
References
- DE LAET, S.J., The Princeton Encyclopedia of Classical Sites, Elewijt, Belgium