Did you know? The developers of Anno 117 are basically working directly above a Roman-Egyptian temple, and that’s what inspired an exciting feature.
At our big FYNG Show, we also had some fresh Anno gameplay for you from the second playable province. Manuel Reinher, Creative Director of Anno 117, was even on stage to chat about what was shown.
He mentioned something that may surprise some of you: he claimed that they had discovered a Roman temple in the basement of the development studio in Mainz.
It sounds absurd, but the story is actually true and inspired a small feature that you’ll encounter in Anno 117.
You can see the highlights of our FYNG Show here:
The Roman-Egyptian temple in Mainz
Mainz is one of Germany’s most historic cities, with a history dating back to Roman times. During Roman times, the place was known as Mogontiacum and developed from a legionary camp into a settlement. Even today, Mainz is home to many archaeological sites in Mainz, such as the remains of an aqueduct, a theater, and a monument in honor of the Roman general Drusus.
Relatively new, but a highlight of Roman Mainz, is the temple complex in the Römerpassage mentioned by Manuel Reinher. This is a Roman temple dedicated to the gods Isis and Mater Magna.
The sanctuary was only discovered in 2000 during the expansion of the underground car park of the centrally located department store. Today, there is a museum where the site can be visited. The offices of Ubisoft Mainz are also located in the Römerpassage, directly above this ancient Roman temple.
What does this mean for Anno 117?
It seems almost fateful that Anno 117, a game set in Roman antiquity, is now being developed directly above this temple. But regardless of its location, the mere existence of the temple has an interesting significance for the new city-building game.
As Manuel Reinher explains in the FYNG show, in Anno 117: Pax Romana, you will not worship Roman deities exclusively and build temples in their honor. This is because the Romans imported religious images from occupied territories.
Isis and Mater Magna were worshipped in the Roman temple in Mainz. Mater Magna was a goddess of fertility who actually originated in Turkey. Isis, on the other hand, comes from the Egyptian pantheon.
In a similar way, we should be able to adopt Celtic deities in Anno 117, including gods such as Cernunnos, Epona, and Mercury-Lugus. The fact that this is possible in the game is also thanks to the findings made in temples such as the one in Mainz.