Xanten — The Lost Legate's Scroll

Your quest begins at the main entrance of the Archäologischer Park Xanten, 2.5 km from Xanten's medieval city center. You head towards the Roman Amphitheater, built around 120 AD. Its restored remains, with an outer diameter of 110 m, recall the gladiatorial combats and venationes that entertained up to 10,000 spectators. It is here, in the 65 m x 45 m arena, that the first rumors of the lost parchment circulated. The whispers of virtual spectators will guide you to a hidden clue near the stands, immersing you in the atmosphere of this North Rhine-Westphalia province.

Continuing your journey, the Roman Baths, built between 150-200 AD, reveal a new stage of your investigation. Covering an area of 2 hectares, these baths, frequented by 3,000 inhabitants of the colony, featured a hypocaust system for underfloor heating, powered by 12 furnaces discovered during the 1950s excavations. It is in the frigidarium or caldarium that you will have to solve a puzzle related to Roman engineering secrets. Traces of Marcellus, Bishop of Xanten, might be hidden there, highlighting the cultural transition of the 4th century.

The Capitol, a temple dedicated to Jupiter, Juno, and Minerva, erected around 160 AD, is your next destination. This 40 x 40 m religious center, with its 3 m high podium and monumental 20-step staircase, was the spiritual heart of Colonia Ulpia Traiana. Excavations from the 1960s-1970s revealed votive inscriptions addressed to the divine trio. A symbol engraved on a Capitol pillar, visible in augmented reality, will point you towards the Roman Port, where the parchment might have transited via the Rhine.

The Roman Port, a 300 m long river quay on the Rhine built as early as 100 AD, was vital for merchant ships and Legio XXX Ulpia Victrix. Sedimented by alluvium, underwater excavations in the 1980s unearthed anchors and pottery, testifying to the intense activity of this archaeological site. The Roman Walls, erected around 160 AD, with a perimeter of 3.4 km and 26 circular towers, protected the city. It is along these fortifications, particularly near the Porta Praetoria, that messages hidden by a spy await you, revealing the Alamannic threats of 235 AD and the importance of this historical monument in Germany.

Your journey concludes at the LVR-RömerMuseum Xanten, opened in 1994, which exhibits 1 million artifacts. Here, the lost parchment is finally revealed, its content linked to the 300-piece Roman silver treasure displayed in the museum. The 1:300 scale 3D model of the colony, built in 1977, offers you a comprehensive perspective of Colonia Ulpia Traiana. This family visit to Xanten, combined with the park, allows you to understand the history of Xanten, an archaeological site candidate for UNESCO. This thematic circuit in North Rhine-Westphalia, a true GPS scavenger hunt in augmented reality, enriches your discovery of Roman heritage and the history of North Rhine-Westphalia.