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Roman inscription

The most important Roman epigraphic monument in Central Europe north of the Dunaj (Danube) river, preserved „in situ“. In the last third of the 2nd Century, the invasion of Germanic tribes of Marcomanni and Quadi started one of the most dangerous conflicts between the Roman empire and tribes of  the Danube river.  In 179, the last year of the war, detachment troops of the Second Auxiliary Legion (II legio Adiutrix) penetrated from a garrison in Aquinc (today the city of Budapest) through the Vah river valley  as far as Laugaricio, today‘s Trenčín. Their presence in the surroundings of our City is commemorated by a Latin inscription on the castle rock:

  • VICTORIAE
  • AVGVSTORV(m)
  • EXERCITUS QVI LAV
  • GARICIONE SEDIT MIL(ites)
  • L(egionis) II DCCCLV
  • (Marcus Valerrius) MAXIMIANUS LEG(atus) LEG
  • (ionis) II AD)iutricis) CVR(avit) F(aciendum)

 „To the victory of emperors, dedicated by 855 soldiers of II. Legion of an army stationed in Laugaricio. Made to order of Marcus Valerius Maximianus, a legate of  the Second Auxiliary legion.“

The authenticity of the inscription and an identification of the donator, a legate of the Second Auxiliary Legion, was made possible by the unique discovery in the Algerian town of Zana (formerly called Diana Veteranorum in a Roman province Numidia). In the first half of the 50s, a pedestal of the statue of a former vice gerent M. V. Maximian, with a votive inscription describing his  rich and meritorious career for Roma was found. Among other things, it mentioned that he had served as a commander of the troops that spent the winter in Laugaricio, the land of Barbarians.

Precise dating of the inscription was enabled by data saying that it was dedicated to „the victory of emperors.....“ It means, it could only have been the emperor Marcus Aurelius, „a philoshopher on the throne“(161-180) and his son Commodus, who became a coruler as late as in 179.

In the spring of 180, after the death of the emperor Marcus Aurelius, Commodus made peace with the Germans, whichupon the Roman troops withdrew from the land of Barbarians.

This unique monument carved to the castle rock, is visible from the terrace of hotel Tatra.