Celts and Romans in Aschach
The Celtic name Joviacum appeared first on the Itinerarium Antoninianum at the time when the Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, nicknamed Caracalla, reigned from 211-217.
1838 during excavations in Schlögen extensive wall remains of a Roman fort were found. Therefore, by the middle of this century it was assumed that Schlögen was Joviacum as referred to in the Directory of Roman legions. After excavations in the years 1957-1959 by Dr. Lothar Eckhart proved: Schlögen cannot be Joviacum. Eckhart associates the Militum Liburnariorum, a sort of Marines of the Italian Legion, with Aschach, the mounted military units Ad Mauros with Eferding. Other than strategic reasons speak for that Aschach is Joviacum the St. Laurentius-patronage of the chapel at the cemetery, the evidence of a Roman square floor plan and the finding of street pavement stones and cart ruts (Limes road?) In the Abelstraße.
Since Aschach is Joviacum, this brings us into the closest connection with the most amazing sources of departing Antiquity with the "Life of St. Serverin" of the abbot Eugippius. St. Severin appeared in Noricum, a time when the Roman rule came to an end. As a monk and miracle worker, he resisted the Germanic princes, who were sitting with their tribes on both sides of the Danube. In the deserted Roman settlements, he persuaded the defenseless poor Roman people to a Christian lifestyle. When the circumstances had become untenable, he predicted them the imminent defeat of their place and ordered the evacuation of the area. So also for Aschach (Joviacum). We read in the Vita Sancti Severini Eugippii:
"... the servant of God sent the church singer Moderatus to the inhabitants of a city called Joviacum which was more than 20 miles away from Batavis, who should ask there an immediate escape from the vulnerable city. Also here the well-meant advice was not heard so that the saint sent off a courier again, who should at least prompt the church leader Maximianus of Joviacum to leave the village. When also this messenger was not believed, he left the city quickly. Still in the same night the Heruli invaded Joviacum, destroyed the settlement and led most of the inhabitants into slavery. The priest they hung on the gallows."
The details of the Vita is deemed reliable, earlier doubts are resolved by more recent research. Thus, under stipulation of the assumption of the accuracy that Aschach is Joviacum it is testified that the Late Antiquity martyr is MAXIMIANUS of Aschach.[3]
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