Argentoratum

Argentoratum was a Roman-era settlement and fortress on the Rhine frontier, located at the site of present-day Strasbourg in the Alsace region of northeastern France. It stood on the left bank of the Rhine, near the confluence with the Ill, opposite the area of modern Kehl in Germany, and served as a strategic hub along Rhine routes.

In the Roman period, Argentoratum developed from a military garrison into a significant civilian and administrative center within the province of Germania Superior. It acted as a base for frontier operations, a node in commercial networks, and a point of contact between Roman administration and local populations. The settlement reflects typical features of Roman border towns, including a planned street grid and facilities that supported soldiers and civilians alike.

A notable event in its history was the Battle of Argentoratum in 357 CE, when the Roman forces under Julian the Apostate defeated the Alamanni, stabilizing the Rhine frontier for a time. In the subsequent centuries, the site declined as Roman authority waned, though occupation continued and the memory of Argentoratum influenced the development of the adjacent medieval town that would become Strasbourg.

Today, Argentoratum is primarily known through archaeological remains and Roman inscriptions recovered from the Strasbourg area. The historic site underscores Strasbourg’s roots in the Roman era, separate from but foundational to its later emergence as a major European city.