Is that really the end, or what happened in the Civil Town of Aquincum in the fourth century AD?

Abstract

The last period at the Aquincum Civil Town has long been a matter of dispute. Earlier researchers presumed a fourth century occupation phase at the settlement. However, re-examining these previous data (including an inscription, a coin hoard, walls, coins and several other finds of excavation contexts and even the “dark-earth” phenomenon) and analyzing the results of recent researches show that there is an obvious paucity of Late Roman finds. What is more, these results even show that most of them turn out to be third century finds. Based on the above mentioned, we can get to the conclusion, that the latest observable period in the Civil Town falls in the middle-end of the third century, or to the beginning of the fourth century at latest. Such an early abandonment of the Aquincum Civil Town is not unparalleled among Pannonian and other Western Roman provincial towns. And why was the Aquincum Civil Town abandoned relatively early? The reasons might be sought in the, by that time, already deteriorated fortifications and the loss of markets. No further (systematic) use could be demonstrated here in layers, finds, or constructions. Nevertheless, since a few fourth century finds still occur, the possibility cannot be excluded that certain areas were still sporadically used, particularly when buildings were mainly mined for spolia.