Learning in the Field. Didactics of Learning Venues outside the University Building Meret Strothmann Following the slogan “From seeing to understanding”, this paper will focus on a Roman colony. A visit to the Archaeological Park Xanten (APX), the area of Colonia Ulpia Trajana (CUT), provides lasting insights into everyday Roman life and urban culture of the Roman Empire, the political environment of the New Testament. The perspective on living in the colony emphasizes a deeper understanding of the socio-political framework and social constellations in early Christianity. Through the unique combination of reconstructions of entire building complexes such as a Roman hostel, currently ongoing archaeological excavations and the new museum of roman archaeology with its innovative concept, new ways of conveying information are being pursued and access to the Roman world is being opened up in a very vivid way. On the one hand, the paper will show possibilities how the APX can be used practically as a place of learning as learning in the field according to the subject of this paper. On the other hand, the didactic approach to the reconstruction of antiquity using the example of the CUT will be critically discussed. 1 Preliminary Considerations Early Christians lived according to the culture of the Roman Empire. To understand the concepts of life and religious thinking, it is central to be informed of the political structures and social networks of Roman society and the special forms of integration of other people. Christians were members of this successful political system and they got their places and functions in the Empire. The connections between Romans and Christians - sometimes they were Roman citizens - are full of conflicts but also full of power. 1 The first well known conflict arose in the time of Pliny the Younger, who asked his friend, the Emperor Traian, how to manage the growing numbers of worshippers in the new religion. So, it is very interesting to take a focussed view on the times of this emperor. He founded a colony in Germania Inferior, Colonia Ulpia Traiana. Roman colonies were vivid examples of cultural exchange, a variety of religious 1 For the conflicts between Romans and Germans, cf. Kühlborn, Marsch. Kühlborn, Marsch, 71-81, made a survey on the relation of Romans with Germans and mentioned the military stations at Holsterhausen, Anreppen, Haltern, and Oberaden besides the river Lippe. Verstehen von Anfang an 7/ 1 (2022) DOI 10.24053/ VvAa-2022-0003 26 Meret Strothmann concepts, accepting some forms of justice, and, in general, the integration of foreign people. And the best: We can visit this colony today and see all these ways of exchange and living cultures together. Moreover, the Colonia Ulpia Traiana, today named “Archaeological Park Xanten”, the full area of the colony founded by the emperor Marcus Ulpius Traianus 2 is singular in combining archaeological praxis in excavations with science and research, as well as presenting results to an audience on many levels. The park is attractive for pupils in nearly all classes, but not less for students, teachers, and scientists. How does this work? The concept works as a comprehensive field with ancient Roman culture as one theme, the social, and political contexts as others. The view on the comprehensive frame can always be connected with an insight into special and concentrated aspects to enable the visitors to get a better and individual understanding of the central elements forming a colony. It is an explicit goal to make own experiences in walking through the park, to see how big an ancient Roman colony was, and to open the view on new lines and combinations while being inhabitant of the colony. The perspective on the distances between the monuments and, for example, the real height of buildings are completely new impressions. Since 1977, the modern town of Xanten took great profit from the park, the excavations, and projects, but there is still a lot of work to do. More and more, the monuments in the park grow again. Some visitors critized the concept and compared the area to a new Disneyland, talking about the economical benefit, but there is no conflict between the archaeological sciences and the economical profit as the actual results have demonstrated. The combination of the new museum of archaeology with historic originals and the reconstructed buildings in the area of the colony convey fascinating and attractive insights into living in a colony. They will be the two main points in my paper. After commenting on some locations in the park and presenting some impressions from the concept of the new museum, I will make some remarks on the didactical frame and our concrete praxis of how we planned and organized our trips to the colonia. 2 For the historical background to the founding of the colonia see Eck, Gründung, esp. 246-249. For the development of the colony in general, cf. Schalles, Entwicklung. DOI 10.24053/ VvAa-2022-0003 Verstehen von Anfang an 7/ 1 (2022) Learning in the Field. Didactics of Learning 27 2 The Archaeological Park Xanten 3 Figure 1: Plan of the colony When we see the plan of the colony (fig. 1) I will point out at first some facts: The colonia Ulpia Traiana was founded roundabout A. D. 110 as an economic and trade center directly at the Rhine. The colony included a village probably settled before by the Cugerni, 4 and the romans combined them with veterans, in total presumably about 15,000 inhabitants. Besides Cologne (CCAA - Colonia Claudia Ara Agrippinensium), it was the most important city in the region Germania inferior. Especially interesting is the active exchange of civilization and culture between Roman veterans and inhabitants, and the concepts of living together in the city. It is not sure if emperor Traian was visiting the place founded the colony. His statue, now put in the near of the Amphitheater, marks the presence of the ruling emperor. The whole area is divided into insulae, separated by a right-angled system of streets. The insulae are defined by different functions, for example for sacred, economic or juridical purposes. Each insula 3 Two useful short guides inform about the area of the park: Heimberg/ Rieche, Stadt, with the main spots on the excavations and reconstructions, and Rieche, Führer, with plans and drawings of the buildings and places. 4 Boelicke/ Wegert, Überblick, and Precht, Besiedlung. Precht discusses the predecessors settling in the region of the CUT, the latter insulae 37 (173-175), insulae 38 and 39 (176), insula 26 (176-179), insula 25 (179), insula 34 (183-186), and insula 27 (188-190). Verstehen von Anfang an 7/ 1 (2022) DOI 10.24053/ VvAa-2022-0003 28 Meret Strothmann has its own quality which followed a characteristic Roman pattern. The town was a center for merchants and diplomatic contacts, and there were intensive connections to the villages in the area. 2.1 The Harbour and the Temple In the following, there will be given a few insights on some hotspots regarding the monuments of the colony. The start should be the heart of the economic center - the harbour. But we will be disappointed immediately when we look for archaeological remains of the harbour. When the river Rhine changed its course, the harbour was completely lost. Just in the bed of the river, archaeologists found some small pieces of waste, which were thrown into the river in antiquity. 5 The old course of the river explains the extraordinary form of the colonia which is not exactly shaped like a square as was customary in other Roman colonies. But near the harbour there are foundations of an impressive temple. It is still unknown to whom the temple was dedicated, and the scholarly community is puzzled until now. Some people presume that Neptun was the deity of the temple, but he is master of larger bodies of water - esp. the sea. So this thesis is improbable, but we have other ideas, for instance that it was a temple for Mars, god of war, because the Veterans always wanted to have him nearby. Because it is impossible to pinpoint the deity of the temple exactly, it is still named as “temple of the harbour”, but scholars actually favour another explanation. The temple might be dedicated to the successor of Traian, Hadrian, and modelled for emperor worship or to remind of the predecessor Emperor Traian. The temple has the impressive height of 28 meters in total, deduced from the density and form of the foundation blocks, but we only have these remains and nothing else left above the ground. The archaeologists have reconstructed the temple and built a few columns in the front, which were originally coloured, and continued to the gable. At the gable the reconstruction was stopped, so you need to imagine the temple in its complete form. This didactical pattern has been chosen to avoid the impression of a “Disneyland” as mentioned above, and to give the chance for individual interpretations. Even the painting on the gable is not complete (fig. 2). 5 C. f. Leih, Neue Holzfunde, and Leih, Hafen. DOI 10.24053/ VvAa-2022-0003 Verstehen von Anfang an 7/ 1 (2022) Learning in the Field. Didactics of Learning 29 Figure 2: Temple near the haven. Sometimes, our students ask at this station why the money to reconstruct the whole temple is not available, but then they discuss new ideas - and confirm that you discuss what you can’t explain. Otherwise, they would have passed the temple without questions - so the concept works: stay curious! 2.2 On Our Way through the Colony - the Streets of the Colonia We walk to the next hotspot and go on the streets, which are all arranged in the same system: the paths are flanked by trees. Some students assume a nice decoration of the streets as the reason, but this is following a special concept. The trees confirm that you can walk through the whole colony without getting wet by rain, the trees stand in for the former colonnades. This symbolizes civilization and is mostly unknown in the villages nearby. The products, which are bought by the people, can be taken home dry. The streets hide another secret: the sewer under each way kept the waste water flowing into the River subterraneously, and also a subterranean canalization of spreading fresh water all around the town. At one point of the parkour, the street is open to see the technical constructions. For our students, this is always very impressive, and they sometimes get a new view on the “boring” streets. Verstehen von Anfang an 7/ 1 (2022) DOI 10.24053/ VvAa-2022-0003 30 Meret Strothmann 2.3 The Amphitheatre 6 Figure 3: The amphitheatre. Figure 4: The amphitheater, arena. 6 The construction steps of the amphitheatre are explained by Müller, Amphitheater. DOI 10.24053/ VvAa-2022-0003 Verstehen von Anfang an 7/ 1 (2022) Learning in the Field. Didactics of Learning 31 Walking on the streets through the park, we arrive at a highlight of the colony: the amphitheatre, which was totally reconstructed (fig. 3). A bit exhausted from walking, the students sit on the stones and look around the monumental theatre. Images raised: “Can you see the animal in the arena fighting against the men wearing weapons? ” (fig. 4) The mass of spectators is standing up and chanting words of supporting or opposing the fighters with loud voices. “Work and games belong together, and the governor of the region often joined to watch the games.” The theatre was an eminently political stage, and so the governor could judge his legitimation and the acceptance of his administrative measures based on the personal contact with the spectators. Not only the actors on the ground can be accepted or criticized but also the governor himself. The audience generally comes from the town, but the theatre was well known also beyond the walls. For logistical reasons, it was placed in a corner of the colony, so unrests could be stopped immediately by blocking off the streets and the region around the theatre. Accordingly, the corner is a very suitable place for the theatre, because unrests often start when masses meet. When students are sitting in the theatre, they become aware of this concept on point and understand the organization of Roman cities. They get a picture of the size and the atmosphere of the theatre, and see how roman culture works as well as the dynamics of roman rulership. 2.4 The Temple of the Matronae Figure 5: The temple of the matronae. When we leave the theatre and continue the walk through the colony, we step into another insula again of sacred character: a temple for the matronae. 7 These were indigenous deities and their home was Germania inferior. But without any doubt, they exist peacefully together with the Roman gods as this area shows. 7 Zelle, Matronenheiligtum; see also Schalles, Matronentempel. Verstehen von Anfang an 7/ 1 (2022) DOI 10.24053/ VvAa-2022-0003 32 Meret Strothmann The students make this discovery nearly fortuitously when walking through and contemplating the insulae of totally different gods and goddesses. They often stop here and ask about the hierarchy of the gods living together in the colony. The place of the temple for the matronae shows the typical construction (fig. 5), formed by a square limited by a bigger square around it, and a small wall with cornices to put down flowers or fruits. In this area, the archaeological excavations are untouched and left in their original state. No reconstruction disturbs the views on the historic area. The matrons are goddesses honoured mostly by women, which shows that the cults of the inhabitants and of the veterans are not in conflict. 2.5 Living and Working in the Colony Figure 6: A shop from inside. DOI 10.24053/ VvAa-2022-0003 Verstehen von Anfang an 7/ 1 (2022) Learning in the Field. Didactics of Learning 33 Figure 7: A shop from outside. In contrast to the view on the temple in its original setting, the industrial and business building are completely reconstructed. For a long time, more or less ten years, constructing these building was a disaster. It was an expensive experiment because specialists of materials and technological methods tried to recreate original material to build these houses. The ingredients for clay and bricks were mixed in exactly the way as read in the ancient sources - and it failed totally because the walls of the houses tumbled down. It took a lot of trials to get the houses stable. Ignoring the weather in ancient times was one big mistake. Probably the atmospheric humidity was higher than today with serious consequences for the exact combination of the elements straw and clay. One wall with the wrong combination is still in place and separated through fences to demonstrate the process of development. While watching this wall, experiencing the story of experimental archaeology is very impressive for the students, and much more so as only hearing about the facts sitting in a classroom. These houses are the newest attractions in the park. Some manufacturies feature products made of bones, 8 wool, clay, metal, 9 leather or straw, which you can buy. So, probably the commercial aspect plays a significant role in reconstructing this insula. But the close connection of working and living is illustrated by the new houses presenting how families lived in their homes, with their private rooms upstairs, and shops on the floor with the manufacturies in the back (fig. 6). Visiting these places, our students can get deep insight in the production of stylish clothes, mostly woven from wool (fig. 7), and also of tools 8 Boelicke, Tierknochenfunde, with some concrete remarks on the production of objects made of bones. 9 Zieling, Metallverarbeitung. Verstehen von Anfang an 7/ 1 (2022) DOI 10.24053/ VvAa-2022-0003 34 Meret Strothmann made from metal. The workmen and labourers slept directly beside the shops downstairs, as our students discern by walking through the houses. Climbing up the stairs, they can get deep insights in the way families lived together, and see how big these rooms were, how many members formed a Roman family and what every day life means in Roman society. They look at the beds and tables, at toys for children, and at chests for keeping things - all illustrating living in a household in Roman antiquity. 10 This extensive impression can hardly be conveyed by a lesson held at the university. It is always an invigorating experience walking through the houses with our students becoming aware of the specific circumstances and starting spontaneous discussions on details and special topics. They discover the situation of families and ask about the customs and details of Roman living. They are full of questions, which arrise only because the students are directly confronted with social life in a Roman colony. 2.6 Tourists and Merchants in the Colony: the Hotel and the Small Baths Figure 8: Caldarium, small bath. From this point we turn to the nearby hotel of the Colonia Ulpia Traiana. This building is the oldest attraction of the park, open since 1977. It is an exciting location because our students get a deep insight into the every day life of trav- 10 For the interior of the houses see Kienzle, Wohnbebauung, esp. 421-422. DOI 10.24053/ VvAa-2022-0003 Verstehen von Anfang an 7/ 1 (2022) Learning in the Field. Didactics of Learning 35 ellers. The rooms are fit up with furniture, cupboards, beds, tables, and chairs styled in antique manner and with a lot of nice details. When you enter these guest rooms, the students get a real feeling for the antique atmosphere and way of living. This hotel was a luxurious one - it has got a pool only for the guests, not for the inhabitants of the colonia. It is totally reconstructed and a good example for the way of functioning of roman baths. The guests entered the baths through an apodyterium, where a servant took their clothes, then they reached the frigidarium, a room with a basin of cold water to refresh. After this first step, the guest could do some sport in the next room, have a drink, medical or cosmetical treatments, or simply talk to other guests, before he went to the next room with a basin, this time with hot water, the caldarium (fig. 8). For feeling well, however, the guest needed more: good food. Also this was taken care of, as we explain to our students visiting the area, who get a vivid impression of the dimension and design of the antique bath and its culture. The real experience of using an antique bath can be made by students of today. One time a year in summer, the small baths are open for students of archaeology who previously worked in the excavation campaigns. The bath needs a whole week to be heated up. Probably for this reason, the bath was operated the whole year through in ancient time. 2.7 The Garden of Herbs near the Hotel Figure 9: The garden of the herbs. Verstehen von Anfang an 7/ 1 (2022) DOI 10.24053/ VvAa-2022-0003 36 Meret Strothmann Figure 10: The kitchen in the hotel. Figure 11: Cellar near the kitchen. DOI 10.24053/ VvAa-2022-0003 Verstehen von Anfang an 7/ 1 (2022) Learning in the Field. Didactics of Learning 37 Right beside the baths and the hotel is a garden with a lot of herbs which are used in the antique kitchen (fig. 9). 11 Our students are always interested in this site: They ask about antique cooking, about how the Romans prepared meals, and what was, for example, the time for meals. Some antique sorts of grain, vegetables and fruit are presented in the kitchen to demonstrate the ingredients (fig. 10; fig. 11). Near the kitchen downstairs we reach the cellar with its vault keeping the big tanks for oil and wine. Visiting this cellar, our students see how to manage the supply of food in general - which is not so far from the times of a generation before ours. In the bath and in the hotel, nothing is original, all things are reconstructed and combined. Only one aspect is authentic: each of the things, may it be furniture, paintings, or other details, has been found exactly in this form somewhere in the region. So, the combination of these puzzle pieces is the didactic frame, which leads to a broader understanding of Roman culture. 2.8 The Aarea of the Large Thermae 12 But what about the people in the town and their health care, their possibilities to take a bath and feel good when they were not guests in the hotel? To take care of this, Traian or Hadrian built large thermal baths for about 1,000 to 1,500 guests, but not only the bath but a big palaestra to do sports near the baths. These thermal baths have got all the elements we know from the small bath in the hotel, but some more entertainment, for example, a library, shops, and actors gave spectacles, as well as lot more attractions. 13 The Romans could spend the whole day in the bath. For the inhabitants the entrance fee was low. Everybody could feel good and healthy, which was what the Romans wanted. These thermal baths had a monumental apodyterium - today, the whole museum of Roman archaeology is located in this apodyterium, which we discuss now. 11 For the vegetation see further Kroemer, Vegetation. 12 For further reading see Zieling, Thermen, including observations on the special rooms of the bath (27-37), and the technical methods for water supply (45-60). For the water supply in the colony in general see Zieling, Wasserversorgung, including fotos from the cistern (391) and aqueducts (393). On the sewerage, see Hübner, Kanalisationssystem. 13 Seneca in Baiae is annoyed totally by the noise heard from the baths and tells us about the attractions (Sen. Epist. 56, 1-3). Verstehen von Anfang an 7/ 1 (2022) DOI 10.24053/ VvAa-2022-0003 38 Meret Strothmann 3 The Museum Figure 12: The area of the museum. Figure 13: Museum, the construction of glass and steel. The whole complex (fig. 12), finished in the 1990’s, is a modern construction built from steel and glass with the exact dimensions of the antique bath, housing now the new museum (fig. 13). The dominant material glass in combination with the steel represents a good mixture of ancient history and modern times and leads to thinking about the proximity of today and yesterday. In antique times, the building also had big glass windows based on the technical innova- DOI 10.24053/ VvAa-2022-0003 Verstehen von Anfang an 7/ 1 (2022) Learning in the Field. Didactics of Learning 39 tions of the Early Principate, so the students get a clear view of Roman technical methods. The whole complex is divided into two parts, the museum presenting the results of the excavations and the area of the thermal baths offering direct insights in archaeological practices. These blocks are directly connected: from the third floor the visitors can take a view on the area of the whole bath even with the levels under the floor and see the scientific methods of the archaeologists. The excavations on the groundfloor show the arrangement of a hypocaust, tables with texts explained its function. Under the floor are hollow spaces and the bricks are hollow too. In front of the caldarium was the building for the servants, connected to the hollow spaces. The servants made fire and with the heated air in the hollow spaces the water in the caldarium, the floor and the walls were warmed up. When our students cross the excavation area on the groundfloor they understand this method of heating on point. Climbing up the third floor they realize the direct connection between the working of the archaeologists discovering antique monuments on the one side and on the other the problem of presenting the findings in apt arrangements. But there are still a lot of connections and lines more to be discovered in the museum. Transparency is the central concept, realized by glass mentioned above and axes of perspectives, which lead through the museum and should open the view to new impressions and connections for historical developments and the amalgamation between the Romans coming and the German inhabitants already settled down in this place. Two eyecatchers meet all perspectives and perform the idea of the museum. From each point of the museum our students see a roman Kapitell, many coloured as a symbol of the civilization like a neonlight banner today. The economical aspect is also mirrored in a special trading ship used to transport goods on the river Rhine, a barge, 14 which the students can also see from each point in the museum. It is fixed in the top of the museum by strong wire ropes, an expensive construction but very clear and striking. So with one view the students got an impression for the central themes, civilization and economy as motors for the integration of foreign groups. 14 For the discovery of this barge, see Obladen-Kauder, Spuren. Verstehen von Anfang an 7/ 1 (2022) DOI 10.24053/ VvAa-2022-0003 40 Meret Strothmann Figure 14: The yellow cabinets and bridges. When our students step in the museum they have to follow one predesignated way, which starts on the groundfloor. Each of the four floors represents a certain time horizon in total from the first century B. C. to ca. 300 A. D. The students reach the middle floors over hanging bridges, an exciting construction. The different floors are connected by yellow cabinets serving as introduction to the next step of civilization (fig. 14). Setting out on our journey through the museum with the students, we meet the pre-Roman settlers on the groundfloor. The plan of one house of the indigenous people is painted on the ground so we can imagine the dimensions of such dwellings. Going through the first cabinet we are surprised: To our left and to our right, two Roman soldiers are talking in Latin with us in the middle. That way we get the impression of an indigenous settler immediately, not understanding any word they speak. Passing through, we reach a floor presenting aspects, which the settlers encountered, especially the Roman army, e. g. Roman arms, helmets, and many more equipment pieces of Roman soldiers. Over a bridge we go upstairs to the next floor. On the ground of the bridge, a Latin text is engraved from the Annals of Tacitus on the Batavians and their conflicts with the Romans in 69 A. D. 15 The bridge is flanked by Roman weapons, which are now everywhere. At the end of this bridge, our students read a votive-inscription which informs them about the victory over the revolting Batavians demonstrating the close connection of 15 For the relevance of the Batavians for the roman military strategies cf. Schmitz, Bataveraufstand. DOI 10.24053/ VvAa-2022-0003 Verstehen von Anfang an 7/ 1 (2022) Learning in the Field. Didactics of Learning 41 the soldiers to the Roman gods, and which also is a hint to the beginnings of a new time in this region. The next yellow cabinet presents the students with the signs of a Roman colony. There are ground-plans placed in glass boxes containing little blocks of different colours to model the main points found in every Roman colony: one designating a temple for the Capitolinian Trias, 16 the next one indicating an administrative complex, one for the economical sector, and one for the juridical aspect. Now, the students are prepared to step onto the colony, which is the main theme of this floor. We find a ground-plan of the whole colony on the ground, boxes located there represent findings as found exactly in the respective place in the colony. We are invited to see how a Roman colony works and get insights into society and communication. When the students proceed upstairs they reach the last floor with pieces of late antiquity. A view through a big window on the fourth floor opens the perspective from the museum directly to the medieval church of Xanten - the following chapter in the history of the city. The didactic concept of the museum is vivid and clear: The objects tell their own stories always relating to other objects. Communication is based on interrelation between the objects. The visitors should not be troubled by long columns of texts, for example, so only a few words frame the objects. If you want to know more about living in a colony, you have to take an audio-guide or to ask the specially dressed scholars who are in the museum about the concept of “cicerones”. They won’t talk to you out of their own accord, but you may contact them and ask them to get more information. The concept of the museum is to advance intuitive knowledge and individual experience in order to get more familiar with Roman times and society. By the way: Walking through the park and the museum we always meet many pupils mostly from the Netherlands or Germany. In the museum, there are many spots specially addressed to schools and school children. Sometimes, my students talk a bit disapprovingly about the didactic concept of the museum, since it does not seem very scholarly to them: You can try to take up Roman weapons, smell Roman herbs in special boxes, touch diverse materials like wool or Roman nails in black boxes guessing what this might be. In the end, however, a lot of them try all that and get to talking about their experiences. 16 For the temple of the Trias see Precht, Kapitol. The form of a Pseudodipteros points to conections to the East, but is unusual in the West. Maybe the founder is Hadrian who spent about 10 years in the East (cf. Precht, Kapitol, 303). Verstehen von Anfang an 7/ 1 (2022) DOI 10.24053/ VvAa-2022-0003 42 Meret Strothmann 4 The Didactical Frame and the Conditions to Join the Learning Field outside the University All students studying History - we have about 500 beginners per year in total at the Ruhr-Universität Bochum (RUB) - have to participate in the Proseminar concerning the topics ancient history, the middle ages, and modern history over the course of two terms (in total one year). For all of them it is obligatory to participate in the two-days-trip to Xanten which includes elements of all three epochs mentioned above. At the beginning of the trip, the students get an introduction into the history of Germania inferior from Caesar to Traian, the conflicts between Romans and Germans and the integration of Germania into the Roman Empire in the first century A. D. About 50 to 60 students travel together, circa eight trips every year. For each visit to the archaeological park we have a fixed slot of three hours. The group is divided into two parts with ca. 25-30 members, one group walking through the park with one of my colleagues or myself, the others visiting the museum on their own; afterwards they switch, so the members of each group has 90 minutes for the park and 90 minutes for the museum. This is not much time to get a picture of the ancient Roman colony. After finishing this three-hours section on antiquity we talk with all our students about their impression, for instance the didactical concept of the archaeological park, the role of the excavations, the reconstructions, and the possibilities to learn outside the university, but also to teach outside the university - it should be noted that most of our students, about 85 per cent, want to become teachers. Discussing these topics, we make interesting experiences. The students often change their perspectives on the idea of Roman imperialism and stress the importance of the exchange regarding culture and religious identities. They talk about urbanization, models of integration, and the terms “colony” and “colonization”, which differ completely from the modern definition. Also, they think about the relation of central administration and regional customs - all inspired by being an “inhabitant” of a Roman colony for a few hours and seeing the variety of every day life. Of course, there are more questions, for example, what the archaeologists do exactly, or on new projects in the park and the financial costs. Some are inspired how to teach Roman history and to develop new concepts for pupils, a fruitful exchange that also often provides us with new ideas for our next trips. We are very interested in the opinions and ideas of our students and so, after the end of the trip, we conduct an anonimous evaluation and pay heed to the results to optimize our program. Two days for this trip is a very short time, but actually we cannot extend it to more days, so the students have to be well prepared before starting the journey. The students have to do a digital preparation course based on Moodle because DOI 10.24053/ VvAa-2022-0003 Verstehen von Anfang an 7/ 1 (2022) Learning in the Field. Didactics of Learning 43 the program is very dense. We developed this course with all our colleagues, and continue to optimize it every year. The steps in the course help to join the trip being well prepared. In the course of the excursion, we offer an introduction to the facts for the times of the emperor Traian and the practice of founding colonies, alongside translations of the main sources - passages from the Annals of Tacitus and the Roman History of Velleius Paterculus -, followed by a virtual trip through the park with remarks on the most important buildings. The course is concluded by a voluntary test. The students can put their knowledge to the test and, at the same time, repeat some parts if they would like to do so. At the moment, we are developing further steps to make the trip even more attractive, for example we considered teams of experts welcoming the groups of students at various locations like the temple area, the inn, or the amphitheater. Until now, the whole group is led by the teacher through the park, but with that new concept it would be possible to divide the groups into smaller ones. These small groups could discover the park and pass the stations they would like to see. Hopefeully, we may realize this idea for our trip in 2023, maybe also with some new stops, for example the funerary field in front of the west-tower, with tombstones conveying insights into the demographic structure of the colonia, or the house of games to practice ancient games. One more secret is hidden on insula five: 17 The archaeologists discovered a temple of two goddesses, one cella near the other. But there is no such known duo of Roman gods or goddesses connected so closely, neither in the Roman world nor in the indigenous pantheon. This would be a nice place to discuss the role and relevance of gods and religious concepts in general. The pandemic has affected us as well, so in 2020 and 2021 we only had a virtual trip online. In one day, the group was guided through the museum of Xanten followed by the museum of archaeology in Herne. The museums have completely different concepts. To point to the museum as a field of learning outside the university, we started the virtual trips with some notes on the functions and chances of museum in general: What is to be avoided when planning a museum and what didactical aspects might be important? What should I have learned leaving the museum? The students compared the concepts of the two museums, and we had very interesting discussions about presenting the objects and the museum as an institution of science. Especially, one aspect was discussed: The museum is supposed to be a place to have fun in - but only a few students can remember this idea when visiting a museum. But this is necessary 17 Former excavations from 1973 on dealt with the insula and asked about the exact function of the edifications, for example Hinz/ Kramer/ Kühn, Architekturglieder; some new observations in Endrich, „Repräsentationsbau“. Verstehen von Anfang an 7/ 1 (2022) DOI 10.24053/ VvAa-2022-0003 44 Meret Strothmann to get financial support by the state, as the International Council of Museums (ICOM) stresses. Underlying this fact, some measures in museums will become much clearer, especially the concepts in the museum of archaeology in Xanten. 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