Built: 9 BC
Builders: Roman legionnaires

Nero Claudius Drusus – known as Drusus for short – was one of Emperor Augustus' step-sons. In 13 BC, Augustus sent Drusus and his other step-son Tiberius to Germania to secure the borders and conquer the Germanic territory beyond the Rhine.

In the same year, Drusus established a base camp opposite the mouth of the Main River. He is therefore also considered the founder of the city of Mainz. Under his command, the legions marched on campaigns along the Main River and eventually as far as the Elbe River.

The Roman historian Cassius Dio describes the successful conqueror as "...a young man endowed with as many and as high virtues as mortal human nature can contain, and diligence and ability can develop."

Drusus was killed in an accident in 9 B.C. while returning from a conquest campaign on the Elbe. He succumbed to his severe injuries. It is believed that the soldiers stationed in Mogontiacum erected the monument as an empty tomb (cenotaph) in honor of their commander. The body itself had been interred in Rome, in the mausoleum of Emperor Augustus.

The monument was originally around 30 meters high. It consisted of a square base and a cylindrical structure. The conical top was crowned with a pine cone.

The staircase inside with the high arched entrance on the north side still bears witness to its later function as a watchtower.

All that remains of the memorial is a 20-meter-high core of cast masonry, into which larger stones are embedded. Idyllically located on the citadel grounds behind the City History Museum, the Drusus Stone is well worth a visit. Following extensive conservation work on the damaged masonry, you can now admire the memorial, also known as the Acorn Stone or Egg Stone, in all its new splendor.

In order to preserve the "signature" of the Roman masons, the Roman mortar material was analyzed in the laboratory and reproduced in a lime mortar recipe in terms of color and aggregate. The different craft techniques and the appearance of the three zones (base, masonry belt, and upper part) of the monument were taken into account. A roof now provides better protection for the monument against the weather.

Current: According to new research by the State Archaeology Department (August 2021), it is not certain that the Roman structure is the honorary tomb of Drusus. There is still much evidence to support this, but research is now also being conducted in other directions: it could also have been erected as a victory monument. Even today, there are still many questions surrounding the stone.

Alongside the Roman stones and the remains of the city gate at Kästrich and the nearby stage theater, the Drusus Stone is one of the only Roman structures preserved in its original location.