Alla vägar leder till Rom och till Öland? : En undersökning om kopplingar mellan Öland och Romarriket under de första 500 åren e.Kr.

Sammanfattning

This thesis means to explore the possibility of a connection between the Roman Empire and the Swedish island of Öland. This will primarily be accomplished through literary sources, but also websites such as Fornsök and Sök i samlingarna, the latter which belongs to the Swedish History Museum. Application of QGIS has also been utilized to form connections between finds of Roman nature, and the hillforts on Öland, mainly when discussing the finds of solidi coins on the island. For many centuries the Roman Empire was a powerhouse. Even today, the Roman army is still considered to have been one of the best and most efficient armies in history. Two thousand kilometers north is the Swedish island of Öland. Some might fail to see any possible connection between these places, while others might think it is obvious these two had some sort of connection to each other. A connection established either through trade or more direct connections, for example, as Swedish mercenaries in the Roman army. Specifically, did any connections exist during the first 500 years AD. From the Roman Iron Age to the Migration Period, and if they did, in what capacity did they exist? And what is the evidence of their existence? Did these possible connections also have an influence on the architecture and people of Öland, mainly on the island´s hillforts?