As Part of the Empire
The next conquerors were the Romans, who by 9 BC had extended the borders of their empire to the line of the Danube, bringing the local Celtic population under their rule. Following the military occupation of Transdanubia, the Romans soon established an excellent network of roads. One such road ran from the Zala Valley through Fenékpuszta, Keszthely, and Tapolca—passing near Szigliget—toward Aquincum. A smaller branch of this road likely led to the Roman settlement at Szigliget, probably following the route of today’s road to Tapolca. Traces of this settlement can be found on the southern slopes of Antal Hill, in the area between the Avasi Church and the Szigliget mill. During vineyard cultivation, numerous Roman graves, stone sarcophagi, vessels, jewelry, farming tools, and Roman coins have been discovered in this part of Szigliget. Although these finds do not precisely determine when the Romans first settled here, they clearly prove that Roman culture and lifestyle had taken root between the 3rd and 4th centuries AD (c. 300–350). In 1948, objects found in two Roman graves on the southern slope of Antal Hill, including 68 bronze coins, along with Roman artifacts from Szigliget preserved in the museum in Keszthely, all indicate that by this time the local population lived according to Roman customs, practiced advanced agriculture, and was familiar with viticulture. It is also presumed that the medieval church once standing on the site of the Avasi Church was built using parts of an earlier Roman structure.