Mainz – Mokongiakon
The Mainz Grosse Langgasse survey point is calculated from the south; references to Gaul characterize the survey point. Linked to this survey point are the coordinates Sekoana Endpoint 1, the confluence of the Arar and Dubis rivers, and Augusta Triber 2. There are no links to the north, with the exception of one coordinate: notably, this is Mattiakon. A coupling exists with the coordinate Noiomagos, i.e., Speyer, which lies further south, also on the banks of the Rhine.
The name indicates a ford across the Rhine; when broken down into Mo-kon-gia-kon, -gia– is to be read as “ford,” related to the Greek -δια- and the German “durch” (see the entry for Diatauion). The ford was located at the site of today’s Zollhafen. About 400 meters to the south, a military presence of Caesar with troops from Bonna 1,2 and from Argentoraton is marked with a survey point. This presence was certainly related to a Rhine crossing about one kilometer to the southeast, at the end of today’s Petersaue Island. It is likely that the location of a bridge is marked here with the survey point Mainz Kastel in today’s Rhine. The coordinates of the survey point indicate that workers and certainly also materials were brought in from upstream along the Rhine from Fessenheim and Breisach (coordinate Argentoouaria) and from the Speyer area (coordinate Noiomagos) for the construction.
Köln – Agrippineensei
Two different names are given for the same latitude and longitude. Cod. Vat. Gr. 177 lists the name “Conquered Observation Point of the Ikosians,” while Cod. Vat. Gr. 191 lists the name “Agrippineensei.”
The name “Agrippineensei” refers to the survey point “Cologne Roman Harbor Road” and thus to Roman Cologne. This certainly refers to Iulia Agrippina, sister of the Roman Emperor Caligula and mother of Emperor Nero. CUNTZ reads “Agrippinensis,” but a breakdown into “Agrippine-ensei,” with “ενσείω” (to shake or fall), is also possible—a characteristic referring to the person Agrippine. The indication of a characteristic or peculiarity is also found in the coordinates for Drusus, the Flavians, and Caesar, and is accordingly to be expected here as well.
The designation “Conquered Observation Point of the Ikosians” refers to the survey point Wolkenburg near Rhöndorf, which in turn is linked to the coordinate Ikosion.
The coordinate itself is older, and its earliest use can certainly be dated to before the lifetime of Iulia Agrippina. This follows from its linkage to the survey point Hottendorf Laugebachquelle Greek Dist., which is to be understood as the site of the winter camp of the future Emperor Tiberius at the source of the River Lupia, between 4 and 6 CE. The naming after Agrippina overrode an older designation; this may have been a reference to the conquered observation point of the Ikosians. It is also possible that an earlier naming occurred in connection with Rome’s Germanic Wars following the defeat by Arminius in 9 CE.
The linking of the Cologne survey point with the Germiana 2 coordinate in North Africa is not unique. Between the Rhine and Roer/Rur rivers, numerous survey points are linked to coordinates in North Africa. The second Cologne survey point, St. Aposteln, also has connections to North Africa, with a link to Ikosion, today’s Algiers. The same applies to the Kerkrade survey point, which is linked to Germiana 2, and especially to the Roermond, Roode Brug survey point, which has three links to Ikosion, Kastra German 2, and Germiana 1 in North Africa.
Regarding the history of the city of Cologne and its corresponding entry in the coordinate index, the following difference emerges between the traditional view and the new analysis: In Cod. Vat. Gr. 177, the entry is labeled “Conquered observation point of the Ikosians,” while in Cod. Vat. Gr. 191 it is labeled “Agrippineensei.” STÜCKELBERGER / GRAßHOFF, following CUNTZ, emend this to “Agrippinensis” and add “Colonia,” a term not found in the codices. The designation must therefore refer to Colonia Agrippinensis, Roman Cologne. The designation from Cod. Vat. Gr. 177 was not adopted at all and was presumably considered corrupted.
The calculation of the survey points for the coordinate yields a survey point with a Greek distance, Cologne Roman Harbor Road, which can with considerable probability be attributed to Roman Cologne and its function as a harbor. In addition, Cologne has a second measurement point calculated using Gallic and Greek distances: the Cologne, Sankt Aposteln measurement point. This measurement point is primarily calculated from present-day northern France and indicates an early integration of Cologne into this region, as well as supra-regional contacts extending as far as North Africa. This second measurement point has nothing to do with the Agrippineensei coordinate. The coordinate index thus reveals not just one location within the territory of present-day Cologne, but two locations—one pre-Roman and one Roman. The conquered observation point of the Ikosians is not a corrupted entry, but refers to the Wolkenburg survey point near Rhöndorf am Rhein.
Bataille de l’Axona (Berry-aux-Bac an der Aisne)
In his Commentaries on the Gallic War, Caesar describes the course of a battle on the River Axona. According to Jullian, the site of this battle can be identified as the River Aisne, near the town of Berry-au-Bac on the Aisne.
Near the town of Berry-au-Bac, there are four survey points that reflect the composition of the forces involved in the battle. One survey point represents Caesar’s legions and the auxiliary troops of the Treveri, north of the Aisne River, in what is now the town of Berry-au-Bac. Three survey points, presumably for their camps, represent the Belgae, divided by tribe. Caesar reports (2.7.3–4) that they set up their camp less than two (Roman) miles from his camp, and the smoke from the campfires indicated that the Belgae’s camp was more than eight (Roman) miles wide.
Caesar’s first statement can be confirmed based on the survey points. The distance to the first camp of the Bellovaci and Aduatuci was 2.4 kilometers from Caesar’s camp, as determined by the survey point. The next camps of the Menapii and Atrebatii were located behind the first camp, four kilometers from Caesar’s camp; the third camp of the Ambianii, Nervii, Suessionii, and Viromanduii was situated about 5.5 kilometers from Caesar’s camp, behind the first two Belgic camps.
The Bellovaci, who had claimed leadership in the war for themselves, camped closest to Caesar’s camp, together with the Aduatuci.