Augusta Raurica is a
Roman archaeological site
An archaeological site is a place (or group of physical sites) in which evidence of past activity is preserved (either prehistoric or historic or contemporary), and which has been, or may be, investigated using the discipline of archaeology a ...
and an
open-air museum
An open-air museum (or open air museum) is a museum that exhibits collections of buildings and artifacts out-of-doors. It is also frequently known as a museum of buildings or a folk museum.
Definition
Open air is “the unconfined atmosphere� ...
in
Switzerland located on the south bank of the
Rhine river about 20 km east of
Basel
, french: link=no, Bâlois(e), it, Basilese
, neighboring_municipalities= Allschwil (BL), Hégenheim (FR-68), Binningen (BL), Birsfelden (BL), Bottmingen (BL), Huningue (FR-68), Münchenstein (BL), Muttenz (BL), Reinach (BL), Riehen (BS ...
near the villages of
Augst and
Kaiseraugst
Kaiseraugst (Swiss German: ''Chäiseraugscht'') is a municipality within the district of Rheinfelden in the canton of Aargau in Switzerland. It is named after the Ancient Roman city of Augusta Raurica whose ruins are situated nearby. The prefi ...
. It is the site of the oldest known Roman colony on the
Rhine
), Surselva, Graubünden, Switzerland
, source1_coordinates=
, source1_elevation =
, source2 = Rein Posteriur/Hinterrhein
, source2_location = Paradies Glacier, Graubünden, Switzerland
, source2_coordinates=
, so ...
.
Founding
Augusta Raurica, or ''Colonia Augusta Rauracorum'', was
founded by
Lucius Munatius Plancus
Lucius Munatius Plancus ( – ) was a Roman senator, consul in 42 BC, and censor in 22 BC with Paullus Aemilius Lepidus. Along with Talleyrand eighteen centuries later, he is one of the classic historical examples of men who have m ...
around 44 BC in the vicinity of a local
Gallic tribe
The Gauls ( la, Galli; grc, Γαλάται, ''Galátai'') were a group of Celtic peoples of mainland Europe in the Iron Age and the Roman period (roughly 5th century BC to 5th century AD). Their homeland was known as Gaul (''Gallia''). They spo ...
, the
Rauraci
The Rauraci or Raurici were a small Gallic tribe dwelling in the Upper Rhine region, around the present-day city of Basel, during the Iron Age and the Roman period.
Name
They are mentioned as ''Rauracis'' and ''Rauracorum'' by Caesar (mid-1st c. ...
, relatives of the
Helvetii. No archaeological evidence from this period has yet been found, leading to the conclusion that, either the settlement of the colony was disturbed by the
civil war
A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country).
The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...
following the death of
Julius Caesar
Gaius Julius Caesar (; ; 12 July 100 BC – 15 March 44 BC), was a Roman general and statesman. A member of the First Triumvirate, Caesar led the Roman armies in the Gallic Wars before defeating his political rival Pompey in a civil war, ...
, or that Plancus' colony was actually in the area of modern Basel, not Augst.
Successful colonization of the site had to wait for
Augustus
Caesar Augustus (born Gaius Octavius; 23 September 63 BC – 19 August AD 14), also known as Octavian, was the first Roman emperor; he reigned from 27 BC until his death in AD 14. He is known for being the founder of the Roman Pr ...
'
conquest of the central Alps around 15 BC. The oldest find to date at Augusta Raurica has been dated to 6 BC by
dendrochronology.
Name
The inscription on Munatius Plancus' grave merely states the name of the colony as ''Colonia Raurica''. A fragmentary inscription from the Augustinian period speaks of the ''Colonia P
terna(?) M
natia(?)
elix(?)
polliaris
ugusta Eerita
aurca'' (letters in brackets are reconstructions). Apart from this fragmentary reference, the first certain witness to the use of the name ''Augustus'' comes from the geographer
Ptolemy
Claudius Ptolemy (; grc-gre, Πτολεμαῖος, ; la, Claudius Ptolemaeus; AD) was a mathematician, astronomer, astrologer, geographer, and music theorist, who wrote about a dozen scientific treatises, three of which were of importance ...
in the
Ancient Greek
Ancient Greek includes the forms of the Greek language used in ancient Greece and the ancient world from around 1500 BC to 300 BC. It is often roughly divided into the following periods: Mycenaean Greek (), Dark Ages (), the Archaic p ...
form ''Augústa Rauríkon'' (lat. ''Augusta Rauricorum'').
Augusta Raurica played an important role in Augustus' plans of conquest with two other colonies that bear his name:
Augusta Praetoria (modern
Aosta at the southern end of the
Great Saint Bernard Pass) and
Augusta Vindelicum (modern
Augsburg
Augsburg (; bar , Augschburg , links=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swabian_German , label=Swabian German, , ) is a city in Swabia, Bavaria, Germany, around west of Bavarian capital Munich. It is a university town and regional seat of the ...
, an outpost on the
Danube
The Danube ( ; ) is a river that was once a long-standing frontier of the Roman Empire and today connects 10 European countries, running through their territories or being a border. Originating in Germany, the Danube flows southeast for , p ...
). These three ''Augustae'' form the corners of a triangle that reaches across the alpine conquests of Augustus, the long base of which form the
Rhine knee to the Danube formed the frontier against unconquered
Germania.
Layout of the settlement
During
excavations
In archaeology, excavation is the exposure, processing and recording of archaeological remains. An excavation site or "dig" is the area being studied. These locations range from one to several areas at a time during a project and can be condu ...
it was determined that the city was founded on a high
plateau
In geology and physical geography, a plateau (; ; ), also called a high plain or a tableland, is an area of a highland consisting of flat terrain that is raised sharply above the surrounding area on at least one side. Often one or more sides ...
just south of the
Rhine
), Surselva, Graubünden, Switzerland
, source1_coordinates=
, source1_elevation =
, source2 = Rein Posteriur/Hinterrhein
, source2_location = Paradies Glacier, Graubünden, Switzerland
, source2_coordinates=
, so ...
river. Two small rivers, the
Ergolz and Violen, have carved a triangle in the plateau, the base of which is about 1 kilometer wide along the base of the
Jura Mountains, and the apex points northward toward the Rhine, about 1 kilometer from the base. This point is the site of the Roman
castrum
In the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire
The Roman Empire ( la, Imperium Romanum ; grc-gre, Βασιλεία τῶν Ῥωμαίων, Basileía tôn Rhōmaíōn) was the post-Roman Republic, Republican period of ancient Rome. As a po ...
, or military fortification. The city is, therefore, well-defended by steep slopes to the north, east, and west.
The next step in planning the city was the
surveying of the area according to the
architect
An architect is a person who plans, designs and oversees the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to provide services in connection with the design of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the buildings that h ...
's plans for the city. Every important public building had its specific place, starting with the
temple
A temple (from the Latin ) is a building reserved for spiritual rituals and activities such as prayer and sacrifice. Religions which erect temples include Christianity (whose temples are typically called churches), Hinduism (whose temples ...
of
Jupiter
Jupiter is the fifth planet from the Sun and the largest in the Solar System. It is a gas giant with a mass more than two and a half times that of all the other planets in the Solar System combined, but slightly less than one-thousandth t ...
as the sacred high point from which the street network would spread. The architect, who was responsible for executing the plans for the city, next laid a
longitudinal axis across the triangle 36˚ west of north to form the
main street of the settlement. Other longitudinal streets were laid out parallel to the main street at intervals of 55 meters. The main street was then divided into sections of 66 meters (255
Roman feet
The ancient Roman units of measurement were primarily founded on the Hellenic system, which in turn was influenced by the Egyptian system and the Mesopotamian system. The Roman units were comparatively consistent and well documented.
Length
...
), which formed the corners of 10
crossing streets. This created a series of rectangular blocks of around 50 by 60 meters. The
streets
Streets is the plural of street, a type of road.
Streets or The Streets may also refer to: Music
* Streets (band), a rock band fronted by Kansas vocalist Steve Walsh
* ''Streets'' (punk album), a 1977 compilation album of various early UK punk ba ...
were laid on a solid bed of gravel and flanked by gutters on both sides. The more important roads featured covered sidewalks behind rows of
columns
A column or pillar in architecture and structural engineering is a structural element that transmits, through compression, the weight of the structure above to other structural elements below. In other words, a column is a compression membe ...
.
Borders
The limits of Colonia Raurica can no longer be determined with absolute accuracy. However, the approximate boundaries can be established by examining the extent of Augst in the
Early Middle Ages
The Early Middle Ages (or early medieval period), sometimes controversially referred to as the Dark Ages, is typically regarded by historians as lasting from the late 5th or early 6th century to the 10th century. They marked the start of the Mi ...
. This would seem to indicate the colony extended from Basel toward the mouth of the
Aare
The Aare () or Aar () is a tributary of the High Rhine and the longest river that both rises and ends entirely within Switzerland.
Its total length from its source to its junction with the Rhine comprises about , during which distance it descen ...
, then up the Aare to the mouth of the
Sigger below
Solothurn
Solothurn ( , ; french: Soleure ; it, Soletta ; rm, ) is a town, a municipality, and the capital of the canton of Solothurn in Switzerland. It is located in the north-west of Switzerland on the banks of the Aare and on the foot of the Weissens ...
, across to the
Lüssel, and then back down the
Birs
The Birs (French: ''Birse'') is a long river in Switzerland that flows through the Jura region and ends as a tributary to the Rhine between Basel and Birsfelden. It is the most important river of the Swiss Jura.
Course
The Birs has its source ...
to Basel, though this is still conjecture. New research, based on tiles stamped with the mark of the
Vindonissa Legion, indicates some administrative dependence on Vindonissa. This would indicate that the colony reached over the
Bözberg toward
Frick, with the
Thiersteinberg below Frick forming the eastern boundary. The western boundary, was near the mouth of the Birs, possibly marked by a border station. Early Roman
cremation
Cremation is a method of final disposition of a dead body through burning.
Cremation may serve as a funeral or post-funeral rite and as an alternative to burial. In some countries, including India and Nepal, cremation on an open-air pyre is ...
remains, found in 1937 by the church in
Neuallschwil, show that such a post did exist on the main road north (toward
Blotzheim) into
Alsace
Alsace (, ; ; Low Alemannic German/ gsw-FR, Elsàss ; german: Elsass ; la, Alsatia) is a cultural region and a territorial collectivity in eastern France, on the west bank of the upper Rhine next to Germany and Switzerland. In 2020, it had ...
. The Colonia Raurica, on the whole, contained the modern
Canton of Basel
Basel was a canton of Switzerland that was in existence between 1501 and 1833, when it was split into the two half-cantons of Basel-City and Basel-Country.
Background
Before the Protestant Reformation, Basel was ruled by prince-bishops (see ...
, the Frick valley, and the eastern Jura Mountains of the
Canton of Solothurn. The total area of the colony was around 700 km
2.
Subsequent history
By the 2nd century AD, Augusta Raurica was a prosperous commercial trading centre and, in its glory days, the capital of a local
Roman province
The Roman provinces (Latin: ''provincia'', pl. ''provinciae'') were the administrative regions of Ancient Rome outside Roman Italy that were controlled by the Romans under the Roman Republic and later the Roman Empire. Each province was rule ...
. It is estimated that the population reached approximately 20,000 people. Augusta Raurica prospered between the 1st and 3rd centuries, and exported smoked pork and bacon to other parts of the
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire ( la, Imperium Romanum ; grc-gre, Βασιλεία τῶν Ῥωμαίων, Basileía tôn Rhōmaíōn) was the post- Republican period of ancient Rome. As a polity, it included large territorial holdings around the Mediter ...
. The city possessed the typical amenities of a Roman city, an
amphitheatre
An amphitheatre (British English) or amphitheater (American English; both ) is an open-air venue used for entertainment, performances, and sports. The term derives from the ancient Greek ('), from ('), meaning "on both sides" or "around" and ...
, a main
forum, several smaller forums, an
aqueduct, a variety of
temples, several
public baths
Public baths originated when most people in population centers did not have access to private bathing facilities. Though termed "public", they have often been restricted according to gender, religious affiliation, personal membership, and other cr ...
and the largest
Roman theatre north of the Alps, with 8,000 to 10,000 seats. Many of these sites are open to visitors year-round.
In 250 AD, a powerful earthquake damaged a large part of the city. Shortly after, around 260 AD,
Alemanni tribes and/or
marauding Roman troops destroyed the city. The Romans attempted to maintain their military position by building a fortress on the Rhine,
Castrum Rauracense
Kaiseraugst (Swiss German: ''Chäiseraugscht'') is a municipalities of Switzerland, municipality within the district of Rheinfelden (district), Rheinfelden in the Cantons of Switzerland, canton of Aargau in Switzerland. It is named after the Anc ...
, the walls of which are still partly intact. Augusta Raurica was resettled on a much smaller scale on the site of the
castrum
In the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire
The Roman Empire ( la, Imperium Romanum ; grc-gre, Βασιλεία τῶν Ῥωμαίων, Basileía tôn Rhōmaíōn) was the post-Roman Republic, Republican period of ancient Rome. As a po ...
. These two settlements form the centers of the modern communities of
Augst and
Kaiseraugst
Kaiseraugst (Swiss German: ''Chäiseraugscht'') is a municipality within the district of Rheinfelden in the canton of Aargau in Switzerland. It is named after the Ancient Roman city of Augusta Raurica whose ruins are situated nearby. The prefi ...
.
In 1442, these communities were divided along the
Ergolz and rivers. The western portion was given to Basel, which became a
canton of Switzerland
The 26 cantons of Switzerland (german: Kanton; french: canton ; it, cantone; Sursilvan and Surmiran: ; Vallader and Puter: ; Sutsilvan: ; Rumantsch Grischun: ) are the member states of the Swiss Confederation. The nucleus of the Swiss C ...
in 1501. In 1833, Augst became part of the
Canton of Basel-Land. The eastern part became part of
Habsburg territories and, to differentiate between the two towns, was renamed Kaiseraugst. Kaiseraugst became part of Switzerland in 1803 after the defeat of the Habsburgs during the
Napoleonic Wars
The Napoleonic Wars (1803–1815) were a series of major global conflicts pitting the French Empire and its allies, led by Napoleon I, against a fluctuating array of European states formed into various coalitions. It produced a period of Fren ...
.
Augusta Raurica today
The excavation site and the late Roman castle, the ''Castrum Rauracense'', are listed as
heritage sites of national significance, as are the early Christian
baptisterium
In classical antiquity, a baptisterium ( grc, βαπτιστήριον) was a large basin installed in private or public baths
Public baths originated when most people in population centers did not have access to private bathing facilities. Tho ...
and the brick
kiln
A kiln is a thermally insulated chamber, a type of oven, that produces temperatures sufficient to complete some process, such as hardening, drying, or chemical changes. Kilns have been used for millennia to turn objects made from clay int ...
at Liebrüti.
[ Swiss inventory of cultural property of national and regional significance (1995), p. 39.]
Excavations
Many of the Roman buildings have been discovered and conserved through excavations, and most are open to the public:
* Amphitheatre: only modest remains exist.
* Aqueduct: supplied Augusta Raurica with drinking water from the
Liestal (parts are visible and accessible in Heidenloch in Liestal, as well as northeast of the
treatment plant in
Füllinsdorf
Füllinsdorf is a municipality located in the district of Liestal in the canton of Basel-Country in Switzerland.
History
Füllinsdorf was first mentioned in 825 as ''Firinisvilla''. In 1225-26 it was mentioned as ''Vilistorf''.
Geography
Füll ...
).
* Main forum: with the temple of
Jupiter
Jupiter is the fifth planet from the Sun and the largest in the Solar System. It is a gas giant with a mass more than two and a half times that of all the other planets in the Solar System combined, but slightly less than one-thousandth t ...
,
basilica
In Ancient Roman architecture, a basilica is a large public building with multiple functions, typically built alongside the town's Forum (Roman), forum. The basilica was in the Latin West equivalent to a stoa in the Greek East. The building ...
, and the assembly chamber of the town council.
* Theater: forms an architectural unit with the temple across the street.
Several private commercial buildings also have been found (a
taberna
A ''taberna'' (plural ''tabernae'') was a type of shop or stall in Ancient Rome. Originally meaning a single-room shop for the sale of goods and services, ''tabernae'' were often incorporated into domestic dwellings on the ground level flanking ...
, a
bakery
A bakery is an establishment that produces and sells flour-based food baked in an oven such as bread, cookies, cakes, donuts, pastries, and pies. Some retail bakeries are also categorized as cafés, serving coffee and tea to customers who w ...
, a
potter, and a
tile
Tiles are usually thin, square or rectangular coverings manufactured from hard-wearing material such as ceramic, stone, metal, baked clay, or even glass. They are generally fixed in place in an array to cover roofs, floors, walls, edges, or o ...
kiln
A kiln is a thermally insulated chamber, a type of oven, that produces temperatures sufficient to complete some process, such as hardening, drying, or chemical changes. Kilns have been used for millennia to turn objects made from clay int ...
), as well as portions of a sewer. Around 80% of the built-up area has yet to be excavated. Augusta Raurica is the best-preserved Roman city north of the
Alps
The Alps () ; german: Alpen ; it, Alpi ; rm, Alps ; sl, Alpe . are the highest and most extensive mountain range system that lies entirely in Europe, stretching approximately across seven Alpine countries (from west to east): France, Swi ...
that has not been built-over in
medieval
In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire ...
or modern times.
Museum and Roman house
The
Roman Museum houses the most important finds from the Roman city and presents the history of Augusta Raurica. In the museum, visitors will often find special exhibits, as well as the most significant archaeological find at Augusta Raurica: the
silver treasure of Kaiseraugst. This treasure hoard was found in the fortress in 1961–1962, and it is presumed to have once been the property of a commander. The museum also has a reconstruction of a
Roman house, with artifacts and reconstructions showing daily domestic and commercial life from the Roman period.
See also
*
List of archaeological sites by country
References
Further reading
*''Jahresberichte aus Augst und Kaiseraugst.'' Amt für Museen u. Archäologie d. Kantons Basel-Landschaft, Liestal. Römermuseum Römerstadt Augusta Raurica, Augst 1.1980(1972–1975) - 4.1984(1978–1983); 5.1985ff.
*''Jahresbericht Römerhaus und Museum Augst.'' Römermuseum, Augst 1962–1972.
*''Forschungen in Augst.'' Schriftenreihe. bish. 36 Bd. Stiftung Pro Augusta Raurica. Römer-Museum, Augst-Basel 1.1977, 2.1975ff.
Index of publications
*''Ausgrabungen in Augst.'' 4 Bd. Stiftung Pro Augusta Raurica, Basel 1948ff.
*''Augster Museumshefte.'' bish. 32 Bd. Römermuseum, Augst 1.1976ff.
*
*Teodora Tomasevic Buck: ''Augusta Raurica.'' Probleme, Anregungen und Neufunde. Bregenz 2003.
* Marion Benz: ''Augusta Raurica.'' Eine Entdeckungsreise durch die Zeit. In: ''
Archäologie der Schweiz. (as.)'' Mitteilungsblatt. SGUF, Basel 26.2003, S. 2-84.
* Barbara Pfäffli: ''A short guide to Augusta Raurica''. Augusta Raurica, Augst 2010, .
External links
Official website
{{Portal bar, History, Switzerland
1st-century BC establishments in the Roman Republic
40s BC establishments
Augusta Raurica
Archaeological sites in Switzerland
Buildings and structures in Basel-Landschaft
Coloniae (Roman)
Cultural property of national significance in Aargau
Cultural property of national significance in Basel-Landschaft
Former populated places in Switzerland
History museums in Switzerland
Monuments and memorials in Switzerland
Museums in Basel-Landschaft
Museums of ancient Rome in Switzerland
Roman towns and cities in Switzerland
Roman towns in Germania