Page:Archaeologia Volume 13.djvu/22

4 that fragments of granite are not uncommon in several parts of Westphalia: the streets of Paderborn are paved with them.

These tumuli seem to indicate that the ground whereon they are placed, was rather part of, or adjoining to, a field of battle, than a camp; because it is probable that they were raised over distinguished slain, and because it was not usual with ancient nations to bury within their camps or habitations. Being now destitute of books and all literary aid, it is not possible for me at present to make any researches concerning the æra of these tumuli, or the occasion that gave birth to them. I can only observe, as far as memory prompts, that no part of North Germany was more frequented by the Romans than the banks of the river Lippe (olim Luppia), near to which these tumuli are placed. The different sources of this river, as also those of the Ems (ol. Amisia), are in the Teutoburgian mountains (ol. Saltus Teutoburgiensis), so famous for the defeat of Quinctilius Varus with the loss of his legions and eagles, under Augustus Cæsar, near Dethmold (ol. Teutoburgum); and that of Drusus, near Lippspring (ol. Fontes Luppiæ). The Ara Drusi is near this last named place, and the vestiges of the Ara Drusi or Castrum Alisonis are still very visible near the junction of the Elsen (ol. Aliso), with the Lippe, on a high heath four miles West of the city of Paderborn. The station of the German general Arminius (ol. Arx Arminii) was on the other side of the Teutoburgian mountains, at Hinnenborg, between Dryburg and Höxter. Germanicus warred a long while in these parts, and Tiberius Cæsar wintered at the Luppiæ Fontes, as may be seen in Tacitus; who says, that to render so frequented a road more easy and practicable for the Roman armies, Aggeres et Pontes longi were constructed over the wild heaths and marshes from the Rhine at Xanten and Wesel (Luppiæ Ostium) to the Castrum Alisonis. From these and many other well-known facts in the Roman history, it is easy to conceive, that the whole extent of the Rh