City on the Magdalensberg
However, with the establishment of the Roman city of Virunum on the Zollfeld, the settlement was ultimately abandoned, with a documented duration spanning approximately 90 years.
As trade relations flourished, Roman merchants began to settle on Magdalensberg around the mid 1st century BC and established a market known as an emporium.
[citation needed] The choice of site was influenced by the presence of the Noric king's residence on Magdalensberg and the protective sanctuary on the summit.
Nevertheless, the site was strategically positioned in close proximity to the iron ore deposits of the Görtschitztal (Hüttenberger Erzberg) and Lölling regions.
The surge in trade was attributed to the high demand for weapons and other goods due to Caesar's Gallic campaigns and the subsequent civil wars.
[citation needed] In the 20s BC, the Noricans built a fortification with a central sanctuary of an almost propagandistic-representative shape on the summit plateau.
[citation needed] The wealth of the merchants is reflected in their overall lifestyle: they adopted Italian customs, as seen in their consumption of imported garum (a spicy fish sauce), olives, and wine, which were served in dishes made of bronze, glass, and terra sigillata (fine pottery vessels).
The presence of portrait sculptures, the oldest found in the territory of present-day Austria, suggests the involvement of Roman sculptors.
These sculptures, along with the portraits of Noric women and inscriptions with Celtic names indicate that the locals actively embraced Roman culture.
These workshops manufactured items such as brooches, belt buckles, and other products to meet local demands as well as for export within the Noric region.
[citation needed] Immediately before the middle of the 1st century, archaeological discoveries within the city's boundaries came to an end, except for the sanctuary located on the hilltop, which continued to yield finds until late antiquity.
The city was succeeded by the Municipium Claudium Virunum, established directly at the base of the mountain in the Zollfeld, which emerged in the late 40s in place of a small roadside village.
[7] Additionally, a fragment of an inscription tablet discovered in the vestibule of the Representation House contains the letters VIRV[...], which could potentially indicate the name.
[citation needed] In the area to the west in front of the church, a construction was excavated, which consisted of a clay floor or a rock surface 50 cm higher, covered with yellow mortar.
A podium was on top of this platform, covered with Kraig marble similar to the surrounding rock walls, while the floor was adorned with slate slabs.
Nevertheless, in order to obtain a level surface for the forum and the surrounding buildings, rock, and earth had to be removed from the slope and filled in on the south side.
The remaining sides were occupied by merchant taverns, which were initially constructed using wood but were soon replaced by stone houses with cellars.
The merchants' basilica, which previously occupied a prominent role, was demolished, and its functions were transferred to the newly built Praetorium on the northwestern side.
[citation needed] The temple on the Magdalensberg stands out in size compared to other provincial towns, suggesting its significance in the region.
On the side facing the forum, beneath the temple district, there are remnants of tavern buildings dating back to the middle of the 1st century BC.
[14] Located west of the temple district and on the north side of the forum was the Praetorium, (Room M), a basilica-like building that served as the administrative center.
Room M spanned a length of 100 Roman feet (equivalent to 29.6 meters) and was surrounded by halls on the north, south, and east sides, providing protection from rain and sunlight.
Notably, underfloor heating (hypocaust) was installed in room A, and a water basin was constructed within the apse, suggesting its purpose as a bathing area.
[citation needed] The residential and workshop district, known as the NG buildings, was located along the hillside to the east of the Merchant's Forum.
[citation needed] At the highest point on the edge of the hollow, along the ancient road to the east, stood the double gate.
Within two rooms, surrounded by walls up to 13 meters high and accessible only via a wooden staircase, the remains of 19 gold smelting furnaces were uncovered.
[16] It involved connecting outer layers of irregular rubble stones with an inner core of concrete mixed with rock fragments, slag, and charcoal residues.
Two explanations are considered: either the houses were solely covered with wooden shingles, or the existing roof tiles were repurposed for the construction of Virunum.
The wall paintings exhibit strong stylistic similarities to the classical Italic South, indicating a high artistic quality and negating the classification of provincial art.
The stylistic classification used for Pompeian frescoes can also be applied here, with the presence of the following styles: The settlement decayed very quickly after the abandonment and fell into oblivion.
