Borbetomagus overview
Other name(s) Vormatia
Modern name(s) Worms
Region Europe
Section Central Europe
Latitude 49.62978255 N suggest info
Longitude 8.35959652 E
Status Accurate location
Info The city has existed since before Roman times, when it was captured and fortified by the Romans under Drusus in 14 BCE. From that time, a small troop of infantry and cavalry were garrisoned in Augusta Vangionum; this gave the settlement its Romanized but originally Celtic name Borbetomagus. The garrison developed into a small town with the regularized Roman street plan, a forum, and temples for the main gods Jupiter, Juno, Minerva (upon whose temple, as is usual, was built the cathedral) and Mars.

Roman inscriptions and altars and votive offerings can be seen in the archaeological museum, along with one of Europe's largest collections of Roman glass. Local potters worked in the south quarter of the town. Fragments of amphoras show that the olive oil they contained had come from Hispania Baetica, doubtless by sea and then up the Rhine. At Borbetomagus, Gunther king of the Burgundians, set himself up as puppet-emperor, the unfortunate Jovinus, during the disorders of 411-13. The city became the chief city of the first kingdom of the Burgundians, who left few remains; however, a belt clasp from Worms-Abenheim is a museum treasure. They were overwhelmed in 437 by Hun mercenaries called in by the Roman general Aëtius to put an end to Burgundian raids, in an epic disaster that provided the source for the Nibelungenlied.
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49.629783, 8.359597 === 49.629783 N, 8.359597 E === 49° 37' 47.2" N, 8° 21' 34.5" E
Nearest sites Alta Ripa, Altrip, circa 24.3 km (15.1 mi) south-east
Noviomagus Nemetum, Nemetae, Spira, Speyer, circa 35.3 km (21.9 mi) south
Rüsselsheim, circa 40.8 km (25.3 mi) north
Vicus Cruciniacum, Bad Kreuznach, circa 44 km (27.3 mi) north-west
Heidelberg, circa 33.8 km (21 mi) south-east
Saliobriga, Sinsheim, circa 56.2 km (34.9 mi) south-east
Kastell Zugmantel, circa 63.3 km (39.3 mi) north
Kastell Kemel, circa 64.5 km (40 mi) north-west
Kastell Kleiner Feldberg, circa 66.7 km (41.5 mi) north
Grünwinkel, circa 69.7 km (43.3 mi) south
Kastell Holzhausen, circa 71.4 km (44.4 mi) north-west
Kastell Saalburg, circa 72.8 km (45.2 mi) north
Vicus Senotensis, Seota, Civitas Aurelia Aquensis, Wilferdingen, circa 77.2 km (48 mi) south
Kastell Hunzel, circa 78.4 km (48.7 mi) north-west
Kastell Heilbronn-Böckingen, circa 81.1 km (50.4 mi) south-east
Vicus Baudobriga, Bouboriga, Bodobriga, Bontobrica, Boppard, circa 86.6 km (53.8 mi) north-west
Glauberg, circa 88.3 km (54.9 mi) north-east
Kastell Hunnenkirchhof, circa 89.3 km (55.5 mi) north
Kastell Ems, circa 91.1 km (56.6 mi) north-west
Princastellum, Burg Landshut, circa 97.4 km (60.5 mi) west
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Database ID 357, created 9 May 2012, 14:16, Last changed 9 May 2012, 14:16