View source for Kalefeld

{{Infobox German location
|type               = Gemeinde
|name              = Kalefeld
|image_coa            = wappen_kalefeld.jpg
|coordinates       = {{coord|51|47|53|N|10|02|06|E|format=dms|display=inline,title}}
|image_plan = Kalefeld in NOM.svg
|state        = Niedersachsen
|district         = Northeim
|elevation              = 125
|area            = 84.16
|postal_code               = 37589
|area_code           = 05553
|licence               = NOM
|Gemeindeschlüssel = 03 1 55 006
|website           = [https://www.kalefeld.de/ www.kalefeld.de]
|mayor             = Jens Meyer<ref name=mayor>{{cite web|url=https://wahlen.statistik.niedersachsen.de/KW2021/reports/DW/20210912_DW_Uebersicht.pdf|title=Direktwahlen in Niedersachsen vom 12. September 2021|date=13 October 2021|publisher=[[Landesamt für Statistik Niedersachsen]]}}</ref>
|leader_term       = 2021&ndash;26
|party             = SPD
}}
'''Kalefeld''' is a municipality in the [[Northeim (district)|district of Northeim]], in [[Lower Saxony]], [[Germany]]. It is situated approximately 10&nbsp;km north of [[Northeim]].   It comprises the villages of Dögerode, Eboldshausen, [[Echte]], Kalefeld, Oldenrode, Oldershausen, Sebexen, Westerhof, Wiershausen, and [[Willershausen (Kalefeld)|Willershausen]].

In 2008, a Roman battlefield was excavated near the town. Currently it is very probable that Roman legionaries won a battle for a blocked pass against local Germanic fighters.

== Roman Battlefield of the early 3rd Century AD ==

In summer 2008 German archaeologists unearthed the remains of a battle fought in  [[Magna Germania]] very probably between Roman legionaries and Germanic tribes.<ref>
[https://news.yahoo.com/nphotos/Roman-battlefield-unearthed-Germany/ss/events/sc/121808romanbattlefie#photoViewer=/081218/photos_ts_wl_afp/dcfe8e3dc146b2f98e88218e2101a350 Roman battlefield unearthed in Germany -- slides]
</ref> The archaeological find was originally made in 2000 by amateurs in a hilly pine-wooded region between [[Hanover]] and [[Kassel]] who discovered metallic items using metal-detectors.

The archaeologists have now ascertained that a fierce battle now called the [[Battle at the Harzhorn]] took place on the approach to a pass, involving archers and cavalry equipped with long-range catapults ([[Scorpio (weapon)|Scorpio]]) capable of piercing shields at a distance of 300 metres (328 yards).

"The findings show that possibly 1,000 Romans were involved" in the battle, according to the leading archaeologist, Petra Lönne. "This is an unrivalled, well-preserved site," she added. Some 600 artefacts have been found so far, including spears, arrowheads, axes, armour plating, [[tent peg]]s, catapult bolts, and coins. In 2013, a complete coat of mail was discovered as well.<ref>[http://www.hna.de/lokales/northeim/wieder-spektakulaerer-fund-harzhorn-3058502.html Harzhorn - Archäologen finden Kettenhemd]</ref>

One such coin depicts the Roman emperor [[Commodus]], who reigned from 180 to 192 AD (''terminus post quem''), while fragments of swords and carts suggest the battle took place in the first half of the third century AD <ref>[https://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20081218/ts_afp/germanyarchaeology Roman battlefield unearthed deep inside Germany - news note]</ref>

Contrary to the belief of the German media that the Romans completely retreated behind the river Rhine in the wake of the [[Battle of the Teutoburg Forest|Teutoburg Forest massacre]] in which thousands of legionaries were slaughtered, historical records regularly reported about military operations as punitive raids east of the Rhine.

Such military operations are reported for the time of [[Caracalla]] and [[Maximinus Thrax]], the first Roman soldier-emperor who reigned briefly from 235 to 238, was personally involved in operations against the Germanic tribes.

In April 2009 the responsible archaeologists presented six newly found silver denarii: one of [[Caracalla]], three of [[Elagabalus]], and two of [[Severus Alexander]]. The new discovery narrows the date of the battle down to between 230 AD and 235 AD.<ref>[http://www.hna.de/breakingnews/00_20090417211907_Kalefeld___zeitliche_Einsortierung_der_Roemers.html New coin finds in April 2009 -- news note and slideshow with the coins]</ref>

Since January 2012, one of the units participating in the Roman battle is known as well: A Roman engineer's axe (''dolabra'') found on the battlefield is inscribed with LEG IIII (4th Legion) and further letters that reveal that its owner belonged to the Legio Quarta Flavia Severianan Alexandrina, which was stationed in Singidunum (now Belgrade, Serbia).<ref>[http://www.archaeologieportal.niedersachsen.de/harzhorn/aktuelles.html Archaeologieportal article Rätsel um römische Inschrift entschlüsselt with press release ] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303221411/http://www.archaeologieportal.niedersachsen.de/harzhorn/aktuelles.html |date=2016-03-03 }}</ref>

== Churches ==
[[File:Weissenwasserkirche im Gebiet des Kahlbergs,aus Jahre 1055 . - panoramio.jpg|thumb|Weissenwasserkirche]]
* Weissenwasserkirche, built in 1145, romanesque architecture
* Liebfrauenkirche, built in 1872 with construction plans by [[Conrad Wilhelm Hase]]

==Notes==
<references/>

==External links==
*[http://www.archeologydaily.com/news/index.php?/Latest/Discovery-of-Roman-Battlefield-Poses-Historical-Riddle.html/ Archaeology Daily News report from Dec. 16, 2008]{{Dead link|date=March 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

{{Cities and towns in Northeim (district)}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Northeim (district)]]