In at the deep end

Second FAU Roman boat launched and christened

On Sunday, June 26, it was finally time: the second FAU Roman boat, the Danuvina alacris, was launched after a construction phase lasting nearly one and a half years. At Seezentrum Schlungenhof at the Altmühlsee, a crowd gathered to see the project manager and professor of ancient history at FAU, Prof. Dr. Boris Dreyer, christen the Danuvina alacris. He was accompanied by FAU Vice President People Prof. Dr. Andreas Hirsch, the mayor of Gunzenhausen Karl-Heinz Fitz, as well as the first Vice President of the district council for Middle Franconia, Christa Naaß.

A crane was used to lower the replica of a Roman patrol boat from late antiquity weighing approximately three tons into the water. Launching the boat is an important step in its construction. The boat fills a little with water, which makes the planks expand and seal the hull properly. “We had expected the hull to take on more water. It didn’t, though, so we decided to go for a brief journey across the Altmühlsee,” reported Boris Dreyer. The Danuvina alacris was accompanied by the F.A.N.

After the official ceremony and the short journey, the approximately 200 visitors were able to admire Roman legionnaires and watch craftsmen and women at work during a special festival organized by a reenactment group.

The Danuvina alacris was built by students and volunteers under the supervision of a shipbuilder as part of the EU Interreg DTP project “Living Danube Limes”

Reports about the building of the Danuvina alacris and F.A.N. are available on our website.

Further information

Prof. Dr. Boris Dreyer
Professorship for Ancient History
+49 9131 8525768
boris.dreyer@fau.de