page_title: History of the Ruhr
section_title: Antiquity
hierarchical_section_title: History of the Ruhr / Antiquity
caption_attribution_description: English: "Harbor temple" in the archaeological park in Xanten, Germany. The Roman archaeological site having been used as a quarry for centuries, this temple is in a large part a modern reconstruction. Photo taken April 23, 2005, by Magnus Manske, with expressed verbal permission. Colors/contrast enhanced with Picasa.
context_page_description: The actual boundaries of the Ruhr vary slightly depending on the source, but a good working definition is to define the Lippe and Ruhr as its northern and southern boundaries respectively, the Rhine as its western boundary, and the town of Hamm as the eastern limit.
  In the Middle Ages, local power was vested primarily in the counts of Berg, Mark and Cleves. The left bank of the Rhine was held by the Archbishop of Cologne. The Hellweg was an important trade route crossing the region from Duisburg to Dortmund and beyond as far as the rivers Weser and Elbe. The most important towns of the region were concentrated along the Hellweg.
  As a result of the Congress of Vienna the entire area came under the control of Prussia. This event was almost concomitant with developments which would eventually make the region one of the most important industrial areas in the world.
  In 1946 the state of North Rhine-Westphalia came into being, centred on the Ruhr. Nowadays, its hitherto important coal and steel industries have drastically declined and the region is in a state of re-adjustment.
context_section_description: 100 BC – Threat to the Celtic inhabitants by the Germanic Sicambri
  12 BC – Construction of the Roman camp Asciburgium on the present-day boundary between Moers and Duisburg, the Kastell Werthhausen in present-day  Duisburg-Rheinhausen and the legionary camp  Vetera at Birten left of the  Rhine and therefore on the boundary of the district and the later province of Germania Inferior.
  11 BC – In order to control the Sicambri settled on the right-bank of the Rhine,   Drusus erects a military camp at Oberaden.
  8 BC – Re-settlement of the  Sicambri to the left bank of the Lower Rhine, under the control of Vetera. The military encampment in Oberaden was abandoned.
  1 BC – Around this time Roman military bases were erected along the Lippe. The most important of these bases was situated at Haltern. After the Battle of the Teutoburg Forest in the autumn of 9 AD the Romans pull back to the left bank of the Rhine.
  69 AD – Revolt of the Batavi, resulting in Asciburgium and Vetera being destroyed. At Vetera, a decisive battle is waged in the year 70, which the Romans win. The legion's camp is re-built.
  85 – Transfer of the garrison from Asciburgium to present-day  Duisburg-Werthausen so as to secure the Rhine crossing and the mouth of the Ruhr.
  110 – The Colonia Ulpia Traiana, near to present-day Xanten, receives Roman town rights.
  275 – The Colonia Ulpia Traiana is extensively damaged by a Frankish attack. In its place arises the mighty fortress of Tricensimae.
  407 – Under Caesar Honorius the Rhine boundary of the Western Roman Empire is given up.
  420 – The first traces of a Frankish settlement in Duisburg have been shown to stem from the 5th century,   in the area of the old market. It lay immediately on the bank of the Rhine, as it then flowed.
  428 – Around this time, Chlodio assumed the leadership of the Salian Franks; he is the first historically-verifiable king. According to the accounts of Gregory of Tours he lived in a district called "Dispargium" (possibly Duisburg or a castle on the Flanders Maas).
  556 – Beginning of the struggle between Franks and Saxons
caption: The Roman harbour temple of the Colonia Ulpia Traiana (Archäologischer Park Xanten)
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