Drususstein, Roman funerary monument in Mainz, Germany

The Drususstein is a nearly 20-metre-high Roman structure inside the Mainz citadel, originally a solid mass of Roman concrete. It now takes the form of a slightly tapering cylinder with a flat top, resting on a square base that is only partly visible. Its surface shows small irregular stones in tan, grey and brown, with a band of larger reddish stones midway up and a thin metal railing at the top.

Drusus, stepson of Augustus, founded the legionary camp of Mogontiacum around 13–12 BC. When he died in 9 BC, his brother Tiberius brought the body back and the soldiers held a memorial ceremony, then built this cenotaph; Augustus approved it retroactively and wrote the elogium himself. In the early Principate it anchored the imperial cult and memorial processions, linked by a procession road to the theatre.

The Drususstein served as a place for public ceremonies in Roman times and has kept that commemorative role in collective memory ever since. Visitors today can walk right up to the stone base and get a close look at the way the Romans stacked large cut blocks to create a lasting monument.

The monument sits within the Mainz citadel and is easy to reach on foot from the city center. A visit pairs well with a walk around the wider fortress grounds, which offer good views over the area.

Although the Drususstein is considered a funerary monument, no body was ever buried there since Drusus died in Lyon and was interred elsewhere. The structure was built purely as a symbol of remembrance, with no remains inside.