Gallo-Roman Tienen: Big Feasts on the Periphery of the Gallo-Roman Vicus
Zone on the edge of the Roman vicus, Tienen
In Roman times, Tienen was much more than a mere vicus. The town centre boasted a Roman bathhouse, while a Roman villa stood proudly on the western edge, nestled in a landscape of woods, fields, and farmland. Kilns fired endlessly for glass, ceramics, bronze, and iron. Thanks to countless archaeological finds, we know that Tienen was a true hub of craftsmanship.
Tienen’s Roman name may have been lost to history, but its history refuses to remain buried. Archaeologists continue to unearth new finds to this day, and thanks to VIA VIA, you can experience them in an interactive and immersive way like never before.
Big Feasts on the Periphery of the Gallo-Roman Vicus
August 1997. Right next to Tienen’s station parking lot, a major excavation begins. What starts as a routine dig quickly grows into one of the most impressive archaeological projects in Flanders. A team of 30 people worked for several years, and by the summer of 2003, they had uncovered a site of no less than 20 hectares.
The finds from this site are spectacular: they reveal traces from the Roman period, a gigantic square ditched area marking the emergence of the vicus, various potter’s kilns, a rare glass furnace, an expansive burial field, a tumulus, and—an absolute scoop for the Benelux—a Mithras temple! The first of its kind discovered in the Benelux.
Although the historical site has now disappeared beneath a business zone, the stories, finds, and secrets from the ground live on. At the site, you can scan a QR code to discover the main features in 3D. You can also experience the grand ritual feasts of the tumulus burial, the Mithraeum, and the square ditched ceremonial enclosure in virtual reality.
Exploring Gallo-Roman Tienen by Bike
Besides the periphery, there are many more spots to explore. Want to make sure you don’t miss a single hotspot in Gallo-Roman Tienen? Hop on your bike and follow the themed route! Along the way, you can also visit the Gallo-Roman villa Mellenberg, foundations of Roman houses, traces of a Roman craft zone, a public bathhouse, and various other Roman structures!
Tienen is ready to reveal all its Gallo-Roman secrets.
Are you ready to discover them?
“The setting autumn sun glows warmly at our backs, fields and farmlands stretch all around us. Someone places an offering in a pit for the goddess Fortuna. ‘I’d much rather try my luck with Mercury,’ sighs Father. We could certainly use a helping hand from the god of trade. Lost in thought, we pass a cemetery. Flames lick at the twilight. The scent of cremation mingles with the earthy aroma from countless pottery kilns. A little later, we reach three tumuli, looming like giant guardians beside the road. ‘One day, they’ll dig up all those bones and grave goods again,’ my sister says. ‘Very carefully, with brushes made of horsehair.’ I love Julia dearly. Yet sometimes, her words make the hair stand on end.” – Marcus Iulius Viator
