古(gu)城(cheng)(cheng)東(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)西(xi)長1040米(mi)(mi),南(nan)(nan)(nan)(nan)北寬(kuan)(kuan)(kuan)680米(mi)(mi)。在其南(nan)(nan)(nan)(nan)墻(qiang)東(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)部還存有(you)(you)東(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)西(xi)長約(yue)340米(mi)(mi),南(nan)(nan)(nan)(nan)北寬(kuan)(kuan)(kuan)約(yue)200米(mi)(mi)的外墻(qiang)。城(cheng)(cheng)墻(qiang)殘(can)高0.5~1.3米(mi)(mi)。城(cheng)(cheng)東(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)北角(jiao)有(you)(you)一高大夯土(tu)堆,可能是角(jiao)樓(lou)(lou)遺址。城(cheng)(cheng)內到處都(dou)有(you)(you)磚瓦和碎陶片(pian),曾出(chu)土(tu)有(you)(you)瘦蓮花紋瓦當(dang),均屬北魏遺物(wu)。沃(wo)野古(gu)鎮是北魏重鎮,為(wei)中(zhong)、東(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)、西(xi)三城(cheng)(cheng)連(lian)城(cheng)(cheng),呈“凸”字形。中(zhong)城(cheng)(cheng)長而大,向(xiang)南(nan)(nan)(nan)(nan)突(tu)出(chu),東(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)西(xi)寬(kuan)(kuan)(kuan)375米(mi)(mi),南(nan)(nan)(nan)(nan)北長600米(mi)(mi);東(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)城(cheng)(cheng)東(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)西(xi)寬(kuan)(kuan)(kuan)334米(mi)(mi),南(nan)(nan)(nan)(nan)北長571米(mi)(mi);西(xi)城(cheng)(cheng)東(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)西(xi)寬(kuan)(kuan)(kuan)282米(mi)(mi),南(nan)(nan)(nan)(nan)北長571米(mi)(mi)。城(cheng)(cheng)墻(qiang)早已坍塌成土(tu)壟(long),現(xian)存壟(long)寬(kuan)(kuan)(kuan)40米(mi)(mi),殘(can)高1-2米(mi)(mi),中(zhong)城(cheng)(cheng)向(xiang)南(nan)(nan)(nan)(nan)開(kai)一門,門東(dong)(dong)(dong)(dong)、西(xi)兩(liang)側(ce)有(you)(you)高大土(tu)堆,殘(can)高8米(mi)(mi),為(wei)古(gu)鎮城(cheng)(cheng)的瞭望(wang)樓(lou)(lou)遺址。
沃野鎮發生(sheng)了對中國歷(li)史進程發生(sheng)過(guo)重要影響(xiang)的北魏(wei)六(liu)鎮起(qi)義。北魏(wei)末年各種矛盾錯綜復雜尖銳(rui)。魏(wei)孝明帝(di)正光五年(公元(yuan)524年),沃野鎮民破六(liu)韓(han)拔(ba)陵在沃野鎮起(qi)義。義軍先(xian)破沃野殺鎮將,立(li)號(hao)真王元(yuan)年,后(hou)又南下(xia)圍武(wu)川,攻(gong)懷朔。起(qi)以前(qian)后(hou)長達六(liu)年,人(ren)數曾達百(bai)萬,起(qi)義極盛時擁(yong)有燕、幽(you)、定(ding)、瀛、滄七州之地(di)。
沃野故城在廢(fei)夏州西,漢(han)縣(xian),屬朔方郡,后漢(han)末廢(fei)。晉(jin)末,赫連勃(bo)勃(bo)復置(zhi)(zhi)城邑于此,后魏(wei)平赫,置(zhi)(zhi)沃野鎮(zhen)。(《后魏(wei)紀(ji)》)
延興(xing)元(yuan)年(nian),統(tong)萬、沃野二鎮敕勒判,源(yuan)賀(he)討平之,正(zheng)光四年(nian),沃野鎮民破(po)(po)六韓拔陵(ling)聚(ju)眾(zhong)反,殺(sha)魏將(jiang)。孝(xiao)昌初,拔陵(ling)為柔然所破(po)(po),乃棄沃野,南徙渡河。(《魏志》)
沃野(ye)縣(xian)屬(shu)偏(pian)城(cheng)郡,蓋于鎮(zhen)(zhen)城(cheng)兼置縣(xian)也,后周(zhou)保定四年,楊忠約突厥伐齊,因引(yin)(yin)兵出沃野(ye),尋引(yin)(yin)還,隋并縣(xian)入(ru)豐州(zhou),志云:縣(xian)地(di)沃衍,水(shui)土盡墨,功省數倍,七(qi)月成熟,又有鹽官。后魏置鎮(zhen)(zhen)于此,又于沃野(ye)縣(xian)鹽澤北之(zhi)黑池西,置涼城(cheng)郡,今故城(cheng)猶在(zai)焉。胡(hu)氏曰:魏平赫連,置統萬(wan)、沃野(ye)二鎮(zhen)(zhen),不在(zai)六鎮(zhen)(zhen)之(zhi)列。(《唐志》)
魏沃野鎮(zhen)城(cheng)在天德軍(jun)北六(liu)十(shi)里。(《風土(tu)記》)
后(hou)魏(wei)(wei)(wei)改朔方(fang)故城為沃(wo)(wo)(wo)(wo)野(ye)(ye)鎮,距統萬八百里(li),似誤。案后(hou)魏(wei)(wei)(wei)置(zhi)六(liu)鎮于漠(mo)(mo)南,除東懷(huai)荒(huang)一(yi)(yi)鎮不(bu)(bu)(bu)隸(li)綏境外,其余五(wu)鎮皆在省(sheng)界陰山之(zhi)(zhi)北。據《魏(wei)(wei)(wei)書(shu)·太(tai)武(wu)帝(di)紀(ji)》,神(shen)加二年(nian),討(tao)東部高車凱旋,列(lie)置(zhi)新民于漠(mo)(mo)南,東至濡源,西暨五(wu)原(yuan)陰山,竟三(san)千里(li),此(ci)(ci)即后(hou)魏(wei)(wei)(wei)分置(zhi)六(liu)鎮之(zhi)(zhi)嚆(hao)矢也。乃顧(gu)(gu)氏(shi)讀史《方(fang)輿紀(ji)要》敘(xu)六(liu)鎮之(zhi)(zhi)名,列(lie)御夷(yi)而(er)不(bu)(bu)(bu)列(lie)沃(wo)(wo)(wo)(wo)野(ye)(ye),并謂沃(wo)(wo)(wo)(wo)野(ye)(ye)鎮即漢(han)(han)朔方(fang)郡屬沃(wo)(wo)(wo)(wo)野(ye)(ye)縣故地(di)。是(shi)說也,不(bu)(bu)(bu)特(te)與《元(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)和(he)郡縣志》顯相(xiang)違戾(li),即與《魏(wei)(wei)(wei)書(shu)》所敘(xu)沃(wo)(wo)(wo)(wo)野(ye)(ye)事跡亦(yi)格格不(bu)(bu)(bu)能相(xiang)入。如顧(gu)(gu)氏(shi)引《魏(wei)(wei)(wei)書(shu)》破(po)六(liu)韓拔(ba)陵為柔(rou)然所破(po),乃棄(qi)沃(wo)(wo)(wo)(wo)野(ye)(ye),南徙(xi)渡河(he)(he)。假使沃(wo)(wo)(wo)(wo)野(ye)(ye)鎮即漢(han)(han)沃(wo)(wo)(wo)(wo)野(ye)(ye)縣故地(di),則漢(han)(han)沃(wo)(wo)(wo)(wo)野(ye)(ye)縣本在河(he)(he)南,又何(he)須棄(qi)沃(wo)(wo)(wo)(wo)野(ye)(ye)鎮南渡河(he)(he)耶(ye),混漢(han)(han)縣與魏(wei)(wei)(wei)鎮而(er)一(yi)(yi)之(zhi)(zhi),此(ci)(ci)顧(gu)(gu)氏(shi)之(zhi)(zhi)一(yi)(yi)誤也。又考《魏(wei)(wei)(wei)書(shu)·孝(xiao)文帝(di)紀(ji)》,太(tai)和(he)十八年(nian)詔賜六(liu)鎮及(ji)御夷(yi)城貧老人廩粟,鎮與城并舉,則城不(bu)(bu)(bu)在六(liu)鎮之(zhi)(zhi)內(nei),顯然可見,乃列(lie)御夷(yi)城為鎮而(er)削沃(wo)(wo)(wo)(wo)野(ye)(ye),此(ci)(ci)顧(gu)(gu)氏(shi)之(zhi)(zhi)二誤也。后(hou)魏(wei)(wei)(wei)六(liu)鎮地(di)理(li),原(yuan)不(bu)(bu)(bu)難辨,只以顧(gu)(gu)氏(shi)一(yi)(yi)誤再誤,遂使后(hou)人聚訟不(bu)(bu)(bu)已。茲為糾(jiu)顧(gu)(gu)氏(shi)之(zhi)(zhi)誤,重列(lie)六(liu)鎮之(zhi)(zhi)名:日(ri)沃(wo)(wo)(wo)(wo)野(ye)(ye)、日(ri)懷(huai)朔、日(ri)武(wu)川、日(ri)撫(fu)冥、日(ri)柔(rou)元(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)、日(ri)懷(huai)荒(huang),此(ci)(ci)從西向東之(zhi)(zhi)次(ci)序也。魏(wei)(wei)(wei)孝(xiao)文帝(di)北巡,先(xian)到懷(huai)朔、次(ci)武(wu)州、次(ci)撫(fu)冥、次(ci)柔(rou)元(yuan)(yuan)(yuan),西不(bu)(bu)(bu)到沃(wo)(wo)(wo)(wo)野(ye)(ye)、東不(bu)(bu)(bu)到懷(huai)荒(huang),是(shi)亦(yi)六(liu)鎮序列(lie)之(zhi)(zhi)一(yi)(yi)證云。 (《綏遠通志稿·卷十二中(zhong)》)