The Lost Fort
My Travel and History Blog, Focussing mostly on Roman and Mediaeval Times
Ausonius' Mosella
Salve, amnis odorifero iuga vitea consite baccho,
consite gramineas amnis viridissime ripas!
naviger ut pelagus, devexas pronus in undas
ut fluvius, vitreoque lacus imitate profundo.
Thus says the poet Decimus Magnus Ausonius (310-395 AD) in his Mosella. Ausonius was born in Bordeaux (Burdigala, Gaul); poet, wine-lover, teacher of the young emperor-to-be Gratian, and obviously a bit of a traveller since his poem Mosella describes a journey along the river.
The viridissime ripas of the Moselle
I attempted a translation albeit I suck at Latin, lol:
A complete Latin version can be found here.
Greetings, river, framed by perfumed vineyard-covered hills,
Framed by grass; river of greenest shores.
Your strong waters carry ships, flowing in easy waves
Along the stream, and a glittering lake your depths emulate.
I wish I had known the text when I traveled there. The images Ausonius evokes respond to what I did experience on my Moselle cruise in the evening.
The Roman bridge across the Moselle in the evening haze
Quis color ille vadis, seras cum propulit umbras
Hesperus et viridi perfudit monte Mosellam.
tota natant crispis iuga motibus et tremit absens
pampinus et vitreis vindemia turget in undis.
adnumerat virides derisus navita vites,
navita caudiceo fluitans super aequora lembo,
per medium, qua sese amni confundit imago
collis et umbrarum confinia conserit amnis.
Evening at the Moselle
What colour are the waters when the Evening Star
Brings shadows of night, and green mountains fill the Moselle.
Hilltops swim in rippling waters, and trembles
The distant vine and grapes swell in crystal waves.
The boatsman counts mocking green vines
As he lets his boat drift by on the surface.
In the middle, where the river confounds its own image
With hills and shadows, lines blur in the water.
The Lost Fort is a travel and history blog based on my journeys in Germany, Great Britain, Scandinavia, the Baltic Countries, and central Europe. It includes virtual town and castle tours with a focus on history, essays on Roman and Mediaeval history, hiking tours, and photography.
This blog is non-commercial.
All texts and photos (if no other copyright is noted) are copyright of Gabriele Campbell.
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- Name: Gabriele Campbell
- Location: Goettingen, Germany
I'm a blogger from Göttingen, Germany, with a MA in Literature and History, interested in everything Roman and Mediaeval, avid reader and sometimes writer, opera enthusiast, traveller with a liking for foreign languages and odd rocks, photographer, and tea aficionado. And an old-fashioned blogger who refuses to get an Instagram account.
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Historical Places
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Roman History
The Romans at War
Life and Religion
Other Times
Neolithicum to Iron Age
Post-Medieval History
***** ***** ***** ***** *****
Historical Places
Germany
Towns
Bad Sooden-Allendorf
Historical Town and Graduation Tower
Bruchteiche Reservoir
Binz
A Seaside Resort
Braunschweig
Medieval Braunschweig
Lion Benches in the Castle Square
The Quadriga
Erfurt
Medieval Erfurt
Goslar
Medieval Goslar
Chapel in the Klus Rock
Heiligenstadt
Churches St.Martin and St.Mary
Lübeck
St. Mary's Church
Magdeburg
Church of Our Lady: History
Mainz
The Temple of Isis and Mater Magna
Paderborn
Medieval Paderborn
Quedlinburg
Medieval Quedlinburg
The Chapter Church
Speyer
The Cathedral: Architecture
Jewish Ritual Bath
Stralsund
The Harbour
The Old Town
Treffurt
Medieval Lanes and Old Houses
Trier
The Roman Amphitheatre
The Aula Palatina
The Imperial Baths
The Porta Nigra
Weimar
Sites of the Weimar Classicism
The Park at the Ilm
Wismar
The Old Harbour
Xanten
Roman and Medieval Xanten
The Gothic House
Castles
Adelebsen
The Keep
Altenstein (Werra)
A Border Castle
Bramburg
Weser River Reivers
Brandenburg (Thuringia)
The Beginnings
Albrecht II of Thuringia
Coburg Fortress
History
Architecture
Ebersburg
The Marshals of Ebersburg
Architecture
Grebenstein
History
Grubenhagen
History of the Keep
Hanstein
Introduction
Hardeg Castle
The Great Hall
Hardenberg
History
Heldenburg (Salzderhelden)
A Welfen Seat
Hohnstein (Harz)
The Counts of Hohnstein
Between Welfen and Staufen
14th-15th Century
Krukenburg
Built to Protect a Chapel
Kugelsburg
The Counts of Everstein
Later Times
Plesse
The Counts of Winzenburg
The Lords of Plesse
Architecture
Polle Castle
An Everstein Stronghold
Regenstein
History
Reichenbach (Hessia)
History
Sababurg
Photo Impressions
Scharfenstein
From Castle to Convention Centre
Scharzfels
History
Architecture
Sichelnstein
History
Stauffenburg (Harz)
A Secret Mistress
Stapelburg
A Little Known Ruin in the Harz
Trendelburg
Photo Impressions
Wartburg
A Virtual Tour
Weidelsburg
History
Architecture
Revisiting the Weidelsburg
Abbeys and Churches
Bursfelde
Early History of the Abbey
Fredelsloh
A Romanesque Basilica
Gehrden
A Romanesque Church
Göllingen
The Byzantine Crypt
Hahnenklee
The Stave Church
Helmarshausen
Remains of the Monastery
Lippoldsberg
Early History of the Abbey
Interior of the Church
Lorsch
The Carolingian Gate Hall
Pöhlde
Remains of the Monastery
Scharzfeld (Harz)
The Cave Church
Vernawahlshausen
Medieval Murals
Walkenried
The Monastery - Introduction
Wiebrechtshausen
Romanesque Church and a Ducal Burial
Wilhelmshausen (Kassel)
The Romanesque Church
Roman Remains
Augusta Treverorum / Trier
The Amphitheatre
The Aula Palatina
The Imperial Baths
The Porta Nigra
The Roman Bridge
Colonia Ulpia Traiana / Xanten
Roman Xanten
The Amphitheatre in Birten
Limes Fort Aalen
The Barracks
Limes Fort Osterburken
The Discovery
The Cohort castellum
The Annex Fort
The Garrisons
Limes Fort Saalburg
A Reconstructed Limes Fort
Shrine of the Standards
Haltern am See
Romans in Haltern
Playmobil Romans, LWL Museum Haltern
Varus Statue See
Romans at the Moselle
Romans at the Moselle
The Villa Urbana in Longuich
Romans at the Rhine
Boppard - The Roman Baudobriga
The Villa at Wachenheim
Neolithicum and Bronze Age
Neolithic Burials
Neolithic Burials in the Everstorf Forest and Rugia
The Necropolis of Oldendorf
Bronze Age
Bronze and Iron Age Remains at the Werra
Museums / Reconstructed Sites
Palatine Seat Tilleda
The Defenses
Viking Settlement Haithabu
The Nydam Ship
Open Air Museums
European Bread Museum Ebergötzen
Open Air Museum Oerlinghausen
Post-Mediaeval Exhibits
Historical Guns, Coburg Fortress
Vintage Car Museum, Wolfsburg
England
Northumbria Tour
Towns
Chester
Roman and Medieval Chester
Hexham
The Abbey - Introduction
The Old Gaol
York
Clifford Tower
The Guild Hall
Monk Bar Gate with Richard III Museum
Museum Gardens
Houses in the Old Town
York Minster: Architecture
Castles
Carlisle
History
Richmond
Conquest to King John
Henry III to the Tudors
Architecture
Scarborough
Romans to the Tudors
Civil War to the Present
Architecture
Roman Remains
Eboracum / York
Roman Bath in the Fortress
Wall Fort Birdoswald
The Dark Age Timber Halls
Wall Fort Segedunum
Museum and Viewing Tower
The Baths
Other Roman Sites
The Mithraeum at Brocolita
The Signal Station at Scarborough
Scotland
Scotland Tour
Towns
Edinburgh
Views from the Castle
Stirling
The Wallace Monument
Castles
Doune
A Virtual Tour
The Early Stewart Kings
Royal Dower House
Duart Castle
Guarding the Sound of Mull
Dunstaffnage
An Ancient MacDougall Stronghold
The Wars of Independence
The Campbells Are Coming
Dunstaffnage Chapel
Stirling
Robert the Bruce
Abbeys and Churches
Inchcolm
Arriving at Inchcolm Abbey
Neolithicum and Bronze Age
Neolithic Orkney
Ring of Brodgar
Skara Brae
Brochs and Cairns
Clava Cairns
The Brochs of Gurness and Midhowe - Introduction
Picts and Dalriatans
Dunadd Hill Fort
Staffa
Wales
Towns
Aberystwyth
Castle and Coast
Caerleon
The Ffwrwm
The Roman Amphitheatre
The Baths in the Legionary Fort
Conwy
The Smallest House in Great Britain
Castles
Beaumaris
History
Architecture
Caernarfon
Master James of St.George
The Castle Kitchens
Cardiff
From Romans to Victorians
Chepstow
Beginnings unto Bigod
Edward II to the Tudors
Civil War
Conwy
History
Architecture
Criccieth
Llywelyn's Buildings
King Edward's Buildings
Manorbier
The Pleasantest Spot in Wales
Pembroke
Photo Impressions
The Caves Under the Castle
Roman Remains
Isca Silurum / Caerleon
The Amphitheatre
The Baths in the Legionary Fort
Denmark
Denmark Tour, Part 1 /
Part 2
Finland
Towns
Porvoo
Medieval Porvoo
Norway
Castles and Fortresses
Akershus Fortress in Oslo
Kings and Pirates
The Time of King Håkon V
Architecture
Vardøhus Fortress
History
Museums
The Fram Museum in Oslo
Sweden
Neolithicum and Bronze Age
Gotland
Gnisvärd Ship Setting
Museums
The Vasa Museum in Stockholm
Raising the Vasa Wreck
Estonia
Baltics Tour, Part 1 /
Part 2
Towns
Tallinn
The History of Medieval Tallinn
Latvia
Baltics Tour, Part 1 /
Part 2
Towns
Riga
The History of Medieval Riga
Lithuania
Lithuania Tour, Part 1 /
Part 2
Towns
Vilnius
Photo Impressions
Czechia
Czechia Tour
Towns
Cheb / Eger
The Old Town
Karlovy Vary / Karlsbad
Brief History of the Town
Kutná Hora
The Sedlec Ossuary
The Medieval Town and St.Barbara's Church
Poland
Poland Tour
Towns
Gdańsk / Danzig
History of Medieval Gdańsk
Medieval and Renaissance Gdańsk
Kraków
The Old Town
Jewish Kraków - Kazimierz and the Ghetto
Wrocław / Breslau
The Botanical Garden
The Wrocław Dwarfs
Castles
Ogrodzieniec Castle
A Virtual Tour
First Castle to the Boner Family
Belgium
Towns
Antwerp
The Old Town
Bruges
Medieval Bruges
Ghent
Medieval Ghent
Tongeren
Medieval Buildings
Roman Remains
Atuatuca Tungrorum / Tongeren
Roman Remains in the Town
Luxembourg
Towns
Luxembourg City
A Tour of the Town
City Trips
Strasbourg (France)
A Tour of the Town
St. Petersburg (Russia)
Impressions from the Neva River
Landscapes and Geology
Germany
Baltic Sea Coast
Flensburg Firth
Impressions from Rugia
Rugia: Flint Fields
Rugia: Jasmund Peninsula and Kap Arkona
Rugia: The Pier of Sellin
A Tour on the Wakenitz River
Lüneburg Heath
Hiking in the Lüneburg Heath
Harz National Park
A Collection of Tours
Arboretum Bad Grund / Hübichenstein
Bode Valley and Rosstrappe Cliff
Daneil's Cave
Devil's Wall
Ilse Valley and Ilse's Rock
Klus Rock
Lonau Falls
Oderteich Reservoir
Rappbode Reservoir
Rhume Springs
Southern Harz Karst
National Park Hainich
Oberderdorla and Hainich National Park
Nature Park Meissner-Kaufunger Wald
Blue Dome near Eschwege
Hiking in the Meissner
Hessian Switzerland
Rossbach Heath
Salt Springs at the Werra
Nature Park Reinhardswald
Old Forest at the Sababurg
Nature Park Solling-Vogler
The Forest Pasture Project
Hannover Cliffs
Raised Bog Mecklenbruch
Pretty Places in Göttingen
Spring in the Parks of Göttingen
Winter Impressions
Rivers and Lakes
Autumn at Werra/Weser
The Danube in Spring
Edersee Reservoir
A Rainy Rhine Cruise
Vineyards at Saale/Unstrut
Weser River Ferry
Weser Skywalk
Wildlife
Harz Falcon Park
Ozeaneum Stralsund: Baltic Sea Life
Ozeaneum Stralsund: North Sea Life
Red squirrels
Baltic Countries
Baltic Sea Cruise
Lithuania
Beaches at the Curonian Spit
Geology of the Curonian Spit
Great Britain
The East Coast
By Ferry to Newcastle
Impressions from the East Coast
Scottish Sea Shores
Crossing to Mull
Mull: Craignure to Fionnphort
Dunollie and Kilchurn
Highland Mountains: Inverness to John o'Groats
Pentland Firth
Staffa
Summer in Oban
Scotland by Train
West Highland Railway
Wildlife
Sea Gulls
Scandinavia
The
Hurtigruten-Tour
A Voyage into Winter
Light and Shadows
Norway by Train
From Oslo to Bergen
From Trondheim to Oslo
Wildlife
Bearded Seals
Dog Sledding With Huskies
Eagles and Gulls in the Trollfjord
Geology
Fossils and Rocks
Fossilized Ammonites
Loket Meteorite (Czechia)
Photo Parades
Photo Parade 2023
Photo Parade 2024
Medieval History
Medieval Life
Warfare
Trebuchets
Late Medieval Swords
Medieval Art
The Choir Screen in the Cathedral of Mainz
The Gospels of Heinrich the Lion
The Hunting Frieze in Königslutter Cathedral
Medieval Monster Carvings
The Viking Treasure of Hiddensee
Craftmanship
Goldsmithery
Medical Instruments
The Hanseatic League
History of the Hanseatic League
Introduction and Beginnings
Hanseatic Architecture
Examples of Brick Architecture
Hall Houses (Dielenhäuser)
Goods and Trade
Stockfish Trade
Towns of the Hanseatic League
Riga
Stralsund
Tallinn / Reval
The Order of the Teutonic Knights
The Northern Crusades
The Conquest of Danzig
The Siege of Vilnius 1390
Vikings
Viking Material Culture
The Viking Treasure of Hiddensee
Viking Ships
The Nydam Ship
Germany
Geneaology
List of Medieval German Emperors
Anglo-German Marriage Connections
Kings and Emperors
The Salian Dynasty
King Heinrich IV
Staufen against Welfen
Emperor Otto IV
Princes and Lords
House Welfen
Heinrich the Lion's Ancestors
The Dukes of Braunschweig-Grubenhagen
Otto I of Braunschweig-Göttingen
The Landgraves of Thuringia
The Ludowing Landgraves of Thuringia
Albrecht II and Friedrich I of Thuringia
Dukes and Princes of other Families
Prince Wilhelm Malte of Putbus
Counts and Local Lords
The Marshals of Ebersburg
The Counts of Everstein
The Counts of Hohnstein
The Lords of Plesse
The Counts of Reichenbach
The Counts of Winzenburg
Feuds and Rebellions
Royal Troubles
Otto IV and Bishop Adalbert II of Magdeburg
Local Feuds
The Lüneburg Succession War
The Thuringian Succession War
The Star Wars
Great Britain
Kings of England
House Plantagenet
Richard Lionheart in Speyer
King Henry IV's Lithuanian Crusade
Normans, Britons, Angevins
Great Noble Houses
The Dukes of Brittany
The Earls of Richmond
Kings of Scots
House Dunkeld
Malcolm III and Northumbria
Struggle for the Throne: Malcolm III to David I
King David and the Civil War, 1
King David and the Civil War, 2
Houses Bruce and Stewart
The Early Stewart Kings
Welsh Princes
The Princes of Gwynedd
The Rise of House Aberffraw
Scotland and England
The Wars of Independence
Alexander of Argyll
The Fight for Stirling Castle
Wales and England
A History of Rebellion
Llywellyn ap Gruffudd to Owain Glyn Dŵr
Scandinavia
Kings of Denmark
House Knýtlinga
Harald Bluetooth's Flight to Pomerania
Kings of Norway
Foreign Relations
King Eirik's Scottish Marriages
King Håkon V's Swedish Politics
Beginnings of the Kalmar Union
Danish Rule in the Baltic Sea
The Duchy of Estonia
Danish Kings and German Sword Brothers
Feuds and Rebellions
Alv Erlingsson of Tønsberg
Livonia and Lithuania
(Livonia: Latvia and Estonia)
Lithuanian Princes
The Geminid Dynasty
Troublesome Cousins - Jogaila and Vytautas
The Northern Crusades
The Wars in Lithuania
The Siege of Vilnius 1390
Conflicts in Livonia
The History of Riga
The History of Reval (Tallinn)
Poland
Royal Dynasties
The Jagiełłonian Kings
Władysław Jagiełło and the Polish-Lithuanian Union
The Northern Crusades
The Conquest of Pomerania and Prussia
The Conquest of Danzig
Bohemia
Royal Dynasties
The Bohemian Kings of House Luxembourg
King Sigismund and the Hussite Wars
Luxembourg
House Luxembourg
King Sigismund
Roman History
The Romans at War
Forts and Fortifications
The German Limes
The Cavalry Fort Aalen
Limes Fort Osterburken
Limes Fort Saalburg
The Hadrian's Wall
Introduction
The Fort at Segedunum / Wallsend
Border Life
Exercise Halls
Mile Castles and Watch Towers
Soldiers' Living Quarters
Cavalry Barracks
Campaigns and Battles
Maps
The Romans in Germania
The Pre-Varus Invasion in Germania
Roman Camp Hedemünden
New Finds in 2008
The Battle of the Teutoburg Forest
Museum Park at Kalkriese
The Battle at the Harzhorn
Introduction
The Batavian Rebellion
A Short Introduction
Roman Militaria
Armour
Early Imperial Helmets
Late Roman Helmets
The Negau B Helmet
Weapons
Weapon Finds at Hedemünden
The pilum
Daggers
Swords
Other Equipment
Roman Saddles
Roman Life and Religion
Religion and Public Life
Religion
Curse Tablets and Good Luck Charms
Isis Worship
Memorial Stones
The Mithras Cult
Public Life
Roman Transport: Barges
Roman Transport: Amphorae and Barrels
Roman Water Supply
Architecture
Roman Public Baths
Domestic Life
Roman
villae
Villa Urbana Longuich
Villa Rustica Wachenheim
Everyday Life
Bathing Habits
Children's Toys
Face Pots
Other Times
Neolithicum to Iron Age
Germany
Development of Civilisation
European Bread Museum, Ebergötzen
The Hutewald Project in the Solling
Open Air Museum Oerlinghausen
Neolithic Remains
Stone Burials of the Funnelbeaker Culture
The Necropolis of Oldendorf
Bronze Age / Iron Age
The Nydam Ship
Scotland
Neolithic Orkney
The Neolithic Landscape of Orkney
Ring of Brodgar
Skara Brae
Life in Skara Brae
Bronze Age / Iron Age
Clava Cairns
The Brochs of Gurness and Midhowe - Their Function in Iron Age Society
Scandinavia
Bronze / Iron Age
The Ship Setting of Gnisvärd / Gotland
Post-Medieval History
Development of Technologies
Otto von Guericke and the Magdeburg Hemispheres
Attempts at Raising the Vasa Wreck
Explorers
Fram Expedition to the North Pole
Fram Expedition to the South Pole
Arts and Literature
The Weimar Classicism
