On 20 February 2026, the Museum Stillfried hosted an afternoon dedicated to the Roman heritage of the Weinviertel region and southern Moravia. The program was deliberately divided into two consecutive parts to both convey expert knowledge and pilot innovative heritage interpretation formats. The event targeted regional stakeholders, including representatives of municipalities, local museums, tourism associations, and regional development offices.
The first part of the afternoon featured an expert lecture by archaeologist Alarich Langendorf (Archaeo Perspectives). The focus was on presenting scientific insights about Roman sites—particularly temporary camps and marching routes north of the Danube Limes—in a way that was both accessible and academically rigorous. The lecture covered current research, challenges such as preservation issues and modern development, as well as perspectives for future research and visualization. Its aim was to strengthen regional identification with Roman heritage, foster dialogue between research and practice, and convey the historical uniqueness of the region to participants.
The second part piloted the new event concept “A Roman Afternoon at the Museum.” Led by museum director Walpurga Antl, participants first enjoyed a guided tour of the exhibition, highlighting both the approximately 30,000-year settlement history of the Stillfried site since the Paleolithic and the Roman history of the region. This was followed by a Roman-inspired buffet, where ingredients, preparation methods, and dining customs of antiquity were explained, linking culinary experiences directly with historical knowledge. The afternoon concluded with a Roman tavern quiz, in which participants were divided into three teams to answer 20 varied questions on Roman personalities, hygiene and health, labor and crafts, and life along the Danube Limes. By combining entertaining knowledge activities with expert explanations, participants were able to deepen their understanding in an enjoyable way. At the end, the answers were reviewed, additional information on the topics was provided, and the winning team was announced.
The afternoon as a whole demonstrated how complex archaeological topics can be communicated in ways that are both academically sound and highly engaging, interactive, and experiential. By combining expert lecture, guided tour, quiz, and culinary experience, participants not only gained knowledge but also strengthened their identification with regional heritage. The format provided a practical platform for collaboration among museums, municipalities, and tourism stakeholders, while opening new opportunities for the sustainable development of cultural offerings and cultural tourism in the region.
Roman Trails
The project focuses on the creation of a common, cross-border thematic region of the areas of South Moravia and the northern part of Lower Austria (Weinviertel), based on the - little known - Roman history north of the Danube and the establishment of interactive (long-distance) hiking and cycling trails along the traces of the Roman history.
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