 Reconstruction of awatch tower near Fectio | |
  Fectio Shown within Netherlands | |
| Location | Utrecht,Netherlands |
|---|---|
| Region | Germania Inferior |
| Coordinates | 52°3′23″N5°9′54″E / 52.05639°N 5.16500°E /52.05639; 5.16500 |
| Type | Castellum |
| Part of | Frontiers of the Roman Empire – The Lower German Limes |
| Criteria | Cultural: ii, iii, iv |
| Reference | 1631-020 |
| Inscription | 2021 (44thSession) |
Fectio, known asVechten inOld Dutch, was aRomancastellum in the provinceGermania Inferior established in the year 4 or 5 AD. It was located at the place where the riverVecht (Fectio) branched off from the Rhine, leading toLake Flevo, which was later to become theZuiderzee.[1] This was near the modern hamlet of Vechten in the municipalityBunnik,Utrecht,Netherlands.
Imperial Roman coinage teaches us that the castellum was built by order ofTiberius, then engaged in his campaign of 4–5 AD. It was probably used as a starting point for cross-border punitive raids. In 40 AD the emperorCaligula visited Fectio during the trip to Lugdunum Batavorum, the ancientBrittenburg. In its vineyards, the remains of an ancient postage stamp were discovered during the excavations of 1995.[2]
Under the emperorClaudius, Fectio became part of the Rhine limes. Then around 70 AD, at the time of the Batava revolt, the castellum was completely burned. It was later rebuilt by a cavalry squadron. The accumulation of Rhine sediments began to change its path. Pottery from the XXII Primigenia legion has been discovered in "Castra Vetera", near present-dayXanten.
During the reign ofAntoninus Pius, between 138 and 161 AD, the fortress was rebuilt, this time of brick and stone. Around 200 AD, it seems that the continuous sediments of the river prevented access to the boats. It was abandoned in 275 AD and was never rebuilt.
Under emperorClaudius, Fectio became part of theLimes Germanicus.[3] The archeological site contains the remains of a fort, port, cemetery, and a civilian settlement.
In 1995, it was submitted to the tentative list ofWorld Heritage Sites.[4] The site was added to the World Heritage List in 2021 as part of theLower Germanic Limes.[5]
From 1 June 2023 to 31 October 2024 there is a small exhibit of the hundred most important finds in theRijksmuseum van Oudheden. One of the finds is an altar stone which has the name 'Fectio'. The low oxygen content of the ground makes that many wooden and leather artefacts were preserved.[6]
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