Frontiers of the Roman Empire

The Upper-Germanic Roman border covers a total distance of 550 kilometres. Around 2,000 years ago its forts, watchtowers, walls and palisades protected the mighty Roman Empire from independent Germania. It is the longest and one of the most impressive archaeological monuments in Europe, marking the frontier where the highly developed civilization of ancient Rome met 'barbaric' Germania.

 The Rhaetian Limes begins in Rotenbachtal near Schwäbisch Gmünd, and joins seamlessly with the Upper-Germanic Limes. Ending at Regensburg on the River Danube, it passes through the Odenwald forest, the Hohenlohe plain, the Swabian Forest, the Swabian Alb and Altmühl Valley nature reserve. A particularly large Roman fort built for mounted units is located in what is now the town of Aalen.