Cities, villages, fortresses - Aargau - Baden (Aquae Helveticae) - Religion

Introduction Houses and workshops Baths Religion The silver hoard

Among the old finds were a milestone, reliefs and statuettes of deities, and religious dedications. One dedication was made to Mercurius Matutinus, "of the morning", a Celtic aspect of the deity.

Sandstone sculptures from Baden. Left. Statue of Mercurius, holding a purse (marsupium) and a herald's staff (caduceus). H. 1.35 m. Baden, Historisches Museum. Photo: Neukom 2002, nr. 1, Tafel 1. Right. Relief of the seated Jupiter, holding a sceptre and a bolt of lightning. H. 1.00 m. Baden, Historisches Museum. Photo: Neukom 2002, nr. 39, Tafel 35.

During building activity in 1871 and 1881 a group of bronze statuettes of deities emerged, together with coins and other metal objects: Venus, Mercurius, Priapus, Jupiter, Apollo, Amor, and Gorgo. They were found in a cellar, in a building with remains of mosaics and paintings, and with a hypocaust. Originally they will have stood in a small private shrine.

Two of the statuettes from a private shrine, found in 1871/1881. Left. Statuette of Mercurius with a rooster. Total h. 0.207 m. Baden, Historisches Museum. Photo: Deschler-Erb et al. 2005, Abb. 20. Right. Statuette of Amor holding grapes and a torch. Total h. 0.126 m. Baden, Historisches Museum. Photo: Deschler-Erb et al. 2005, Abb. 21.

An inscription referring to a Temple of Isis had been walled in in the tower of the church of St. Sebastian in nearby Wettingen, and is still inside that church.

DEAE ISIDI TEMPLVM A SOLO L(ucius) ANNVSIVS MAGIANVS DE SVO POSVIT VIK(anis) AQVENSIB(us) AD CVIVS TEMPLI ORNAMENTA ALPINIA ALPINVLA CONIVNX ET PEREGRINA FIL(ia) (denarios) C DEDE RVNT L(ocus) D(atus) D(ecreto) VICANORVM	The temple of the goddess Isis, from scratch, Lucius Annusius Magianus has, at his expense, erected for the villagers of Aquae. To adorn this temple Alpinia Alpinula, his wife, and Peregrina, his daughter, have given 100 denarii. The place was allocated by decision of the villagers.
Inscription referring to a Temple of Isis, taken to Wettingen. Kolb et al. 2022, nr. 370; EDCS-10800637. Photo: Wikimedia.

Introduction Houses and workshops Baths Religion The silver hoard

[31-Aug-2023]