Worms, Germany

Worms (pronounced {{IPA|/v?rms/}}) is a city in the southwest of Germany. Its name is of Celtic origin: Borbetomagus meant "settlement in a watery area". This was eventually transformed into the Latin name Wormatia that had been in use since the 6th century.

History

Celts and Romans

The city has existed since before Roman times, when it was captured and fortified by the Romans under Drusus in 14 BCE. From that time, a small troop of infantry and cavalry were garrisoned in Augusta Vangionum this gave the settlement its romanized but originally Celtic name Borbetomagus. (Many fanciful variant names for Worms exist only upon the title pages of books printed when Worms was an early center of printing: William Tyndale's translation of the Bible was printed at Worms, 1525.) The garrison developed into a small town with the regularized Roman street plan, a forum, and temples for the main gods Jupiter, Juno, Minerva (upon whose temple, as is usual, was built the cathedral) and Mars.

Related Topics:
Drusus - William Tyndale

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Roman inscriptions and altars and votive offerings can be seen in the archeological museum, along with one of Europe's largest collections of Roman glass. Local potters worked in the south quarter of the town. Fragments of amphoras show that the olive oil they contained had come from Hispania Baetica, doubtless by sea and then up the Rhine. At Borbetomagus, Gunther king of the Burgundians, set himself up as puppet-emperor, the unfortunate Jovinus, during the disorders of 411 – 413. The city became the chief city of the first kingdom of the Burgundians, who left few remains, however, that a belt clasp from Worms-Abenheim is a museum treasure; they were overwhelmed in 437 by Hun mercenaries called in by the Roman general Aëtius to put an end to Burgundian raids, in an epic disaster that provided the source for the Nibelungenlied.

Related Topics:
Roman glass - Hispania Baetica - Gunther - Jovinus - Burgundians - Hun - Aëtius - Nibelungenlied

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