Augusta Raurica: Roman Legacy – Basel-Landschaft – Citizenship Test
Just outside the town of Augst stands something extraordinary: Switzerland's largest and best-preserved Roman archaeological site. Augusta Raurica was once a thriving city of up to 20'000 people, a Ro…
Just outside the town of Augst stands something extraordinary: Switzerland's largest and best-preserved Roman archaeological site. Augusta Raurica was once a thriving city of up to 20'000 people, a Roman colony founded around 15 BC near the Rhine. Today its ruins — including a massive theater, forum, temples, and a stunning silver treasure — draw visitors from across Europe.
What Remains Today
Founded: ~15 BC as a Roman colony Peak population: 10'000–20'000 inhabitants Location: Near modern Augst and Kaiseraugst
Key structures:
- Roman theater — the best-preserved Roman theater in Switzerland; seated ~10'000 spectators; still used for outdoor performances today
- Forum — marketplace foundations
- Temples — dedicated to Roman gods
- Thermae — public bath complexes
- Underground tunnels and sewers — well-preserved infrastructure
- City walls — partial remains
The Roman Museum (Römermuseum):
- Located in Augst
- Showcases mosaics, pottery, coins, tools, and jewelry
- Life-size reconstructions of Roman rooms
- The Kaiseraugst Silver Treasure — the museum's crown jewel:
- Discovered in 1962 during construction work
- Over 60 pieces of exquisite Roman silver tableware
- Plates, bowls, spoons, and statuettes, richly decorated
- Buried around 350 AD during late Roman political crisis — never retrieved
- One of the most important Roman silver finds in Europe
Open-air museum: Walking paths through the excavated ruins with signage explaining what each structure was
The Kaiseraugst Silver Treasure sat hidden underground for over 1,600 years! Buried around 350 AD by someone who never came back to retrieve it, the hoard of 60+ pieces of Roman silver was only found in 1962 during construction work. It remains on display at the Roman Museum in Augst.
Augusta Raurica = Roman colony, founded ~15 BC, near Augst. Best feature: the theater (10'000 seats, still used today). Greatest find: Kaiseraugst Silver Treasure (60+ pieces, buried 350 AD, found 1962). It's Switzerland's best-preserved Roman site.