Classis Germanica

History of the Rhine and its tributaries
Tile with stamp CLAS(S)IS, from Novaesium,
Clemens-Sels-Museum in Neuss
Altar of Victory [de] from the fleet Castle Old Castle, 1st half of the 3rd century BC.
Map of Fossa Corbulonis
Fragment of a bronze plaque from Naaldwijk (NL) with the inscription CLASSISAV
Grave stone of Marines L. Valerius Verecundus, died in service in the camp Cologne Alteburg.
Roman trireme
Model (front) and the original found object (rear right) of a Roman barge (flatboat, pram type Zwammerdam 6) from the 1st century
Reconstruction of Navis lusoria at the Museum of Ancient Shipbuilding [de], Mainz
Reconstruction model of the late antique Ländeburgus of Ladenburg. For the bridge there is no archaeological evidence.
The Regina, the replica of a Navis lusoria by the University of Regensburg on a ride on the Frankish Brombachsee [de]

The Classis Germanica was a Roman fleet in Germania Superior and Germania Inferior. Besides the Channel Fleet (Classis Britannica), it was one of the largest naval forces of the Roman Empire, ranking above all other provincial fleets.

The fleet was assembled in 13 BC, and was responsible for monitoring the entire Rhine from the confluence of the Vinxtbach and its navigable tributaries as well as the Zuiderzee and North Sea coastlines in the Rhine–Meuse–Scheldt delta. Later on, the estuaries on the right bank of the Rhine were also included in its charter in order to maintain a smooth flow of transportation and commerce on the river. The allegiance of the Classis Germanica to the Army of Germania Inferior (Exercitus Germaniae Inferioris) was confirmed by a Roman military diploma (located in the Netherlands) during Trajan's reign.[1] Besides specifying the local auxiliary troops involved, it also lists the Rhine fleet, that likely was still in existence (in altered form) until the 4th century.

  1. ^ T. Derks. L. van der Feijst; J. de Bruin; E. Blom (eds.). De nederzetting te Naaldwijk II Terug naar de sporen van Holwerda – chapter 6 Inscripties op brons (PDF) (in Dutch). ADC ArcheoProjecten. p. 7. ISBN 978-90-6836-261-9.