Archaeological Museum

Between the 1st and 4th centuries, the territory of present-day Slovakia, inhabited by Germanic tribes, maintained close contact with the Roman world. Alongside trade and cultural exchange, there were also military conflicts between the Romans and the Germanic groups. The most intense fighting took place between 166 and 180 AD, during the so-called Marcomannic Wars. The Romans, led by Emperor Marcus Aurelius, were victorious. After his death during the military campaign (probably a victim of the plague), a 30-meter-high triumphal column was erected in his honor in Rome, where it still stands today. The column is decorated with scenes from the battles, including events that likely took place on the territory of present-day Slovakia. At the end of the 19th century, molds were taken from some of the scenes and stored in Berlin. Three scenes (The Roman frontier, The so-called Miraculous rain, and The Captivity of the barbarians) were cast and transported to our museum, where they are exhibited. Their importance lies in the fact that they represent the oldest iconographic evidence related to the history of our territory.