The Marcomanni educational trail from Dobřichov, near Kolín – 2 km

• Just over two thousand years ago, a number of Germanic tribal groups started to migrate to the Bohemian lands, arriving from the north and west. The Germanic tribes occupied territories left vacant by the departing Celtic tribes, including the Boii, who gave their name to the country. The leader of probably the largest tribe, the Marcomanni, actually appears in the Roman history books. His name was Marobuduus and it is believed he was educated in Rome.
• Marobuduus succeeded in uniting the tribes in Bohemia and this was perceived to be such a threat to Rome that in 6 AD the future emperor Tiberius set off with an invasion force to conquer the lands occupied by the Marcomanni. Tiberius crossed the Danube with his legions and was poised to enter the Czech lands, when he was required to divert the army to deal with a rebellion in Pannonia. Marobuduus took advantage of the reprieve and hastily agreed a treaty of independence and friendly relations with Rome. This was the closest Bohemia ever came to being occupied by Roman forces.
• Marobuduus’ success in uniting the tribes and creating a treaty with Rome, essentially means he became the first historically documented ‘ruler’ of Bohemia.  Marobuduus’ rule lasted until 18 AD, when he was overthrown by a rival Marcomanni nobleman, Katvalda, who brought an army of enlisted Goths to sack Marobuduus’ camps in Bohemia. Marobuduus fled to safety in the Roman Empire, and spent his final years in exile in Ravenna.
• The Marcomanni were to be a thorn in the side of the Roman Empire for nearly two centuries. From 166 AD until his death in 180 AD, Emperor Marcus Aurelius fought the Marcomanni in the territories to the north of the Danube river in today’s Austria and Slovakia.
• It is still not known exactly where Marobuduus and the Marcomanni had their main bases in Bohemia, but it is clear that the lowland plains south of the Labe river in today’s Kolín district were a major population center for the Germanic tribes during the Roman period. The huge number of grave sites discovered near the village of Dobřichov provides some of the best evidence for the scale of the occupation by the Marcomanni.
• A short but interesting ‘Marcoman’ educational trail has been created leading from the center of Dobřichov village to one of the grave sites, where a reconstruction of a funeral shrine and burial site have been created. At the end of the trail there is also a reconstruction of a Marcomanni tribal hut. The trail is effectively only 1 km long – so it is a 2 km trip there and back. The paths are good and there is only 40m of height difference, so it can be managed with a stroller. For refreshments, there is a pub in the main square of Dobřichov village.

Note: click ‘Show on Mapy.com’  to go to a full screen version of the route directly on the mapy.com site. This can be used for on line navigation, saved or exported as a GPX file.

Directions

• There are bus connections to Dobřichov from Poděbrady and Kolín train stations. For drivers, there is a small parking area near the village cemetery (shown on the map above as the start-finish points) but other spaces should be available in the village center
• Starting in the village center (next to the pub) take the GREEN hiking trail towards the church and then turn right at the village cemetery, still staying on the GREEN trail
• After 300m, at the reconstructed funeral shrine, there is a diversion to the right to the lookout point and reconstructed grave site
• Continue on the GREEN trail, slightly downhill, to reach the reconstructed Germanic hut
• Return back the same way to Dobřichov village