On the first weekend in April, something is happening in the houses of the Roman town of Carnuntum. As part of the event “The People of Carnuntum”, you will meet real personalities from antiquity - embodied by cultural mediators from the Roman town of Carnuntum.
In April, the focus is on “Life on the border - Carnuntum as a crossroads of cultures”. Ancient Carnuntum was not only a metropolis and military outpost, but also a lively melting pot of trade, cultural exchange - and occasional smuggling.
But which inhabitants can you meet this weekend? We asked around on the streets of Carnuntum and gathered the following information:
Aemilia - the oil merchant with flavour
If you smell the aroma of fresh olive oil, Aemilia is not far away. She is passionate about selling oil and garum - although the latter is not doing quite so well (‘the barbarians are probably not ready for it yet’). As a genuine trader, she knows every corner of the town and knows exactly when and where an oil lamp needs to be refilled. By the way: if you accompany her, you will not only learn something about ancient trade, but perhaps also a bit of gossip from the market district.
Umma and Illo - wellness with a side mission
What are a Celtic farmer's wife and her husband doing in a Roman spa? On holiday - or rather: investigating. Umma and Illo take it in turns to use their ‘wellness day’ to comment on Roman bathing traditions with a sceptical eye and compare the worlds of life. Incidentally, they also have a mission: there are rumours of sword smuggling along the Limes. So if you've seen anyone with suspicious-looking weapons - let us know. But please keep it quiet, Umma and Illo have a plan.
Aistomodius - the charming border crosser
The Germanic nobleman comes from beyond the Morava, likes to dress casually barbarian, but has a soft spot for Roman technology. Aistomodius is currently considering installing underfloor heating - and perhaps exporting a few swords, completely harmlessly of course. If you gain his trust, you get to hear more. When he's not strutting through the streets - completely innocently - you'll find him and his drinking horn in the villa.
Augis - Stylishly straddling the worlds
Augis is the wife of Aistomodius, but is clearly on the side of Rome when it comes to fashion. She loves fine crockery, beautiful fabrics and elegant Roman fashion - her amber necklace nevertheless hints at her Germanic origins. Augis enjoys showing visitors her latest purchases, discussing crockery shapes and occasionally casting an exasperated glance at her husband, who refuses to swap his drinking horn for a decent cup.
Our science magazine also looked at “Life at the frontier” and provides an insight into the various facets of everyday life on the Danube Limes.
Please note: Experience shows that guided tours at the weekend sell out quickly. We therefore ask you to book them in advance. Admission can be purchased separately at the ticket office or in the webshop.
Tickets
Admission tickets and guided tour tickets for The People of Carnuntum (April 5 and 6, 2025) correspond to the regular admission and guided tour tickets and are now available in our webshop. The NÖ-Card is valid on these days at the normal conditions (one admission per season and card).