Mainz, Drususstein

Cenotaph of Drusus

The Drususstein ("the stone tower of Drusus") in Mainz may have been a memorial, dedicated to Roman general Drusus. You will find it in Mainz' interesting seventeenth-century citadel.

Actually there is some doubt whether it really is the cenotaph of the Roman commander, who died in 9 BCE after he had founded Mainz and conquered the valleys of the rivers Lippe and Main. The identification is as early as the Middle Ages and may therefore be based on accurate memories, but archaeologists have identified tombs from a later age in the neighborhood. This can mean that the large stone tower is younger than is generally accepted, but can also mean that people wanted to be buried near the city's founder.