Traces of a Roman road were found in Langenbruck, on the north side of the Oberer Hauenstein, a mountain pass that in antiquity led from Augusta Raurica (Augst) to Salodurum (Solothurn) and Olten. Stretches of the road were investigated on several occasions. In 1899 a stretch 2.8 m. wide was found. It had two carved out grooves for the wheels of wagons, 1.025-1.16 m. apart. In 1957 wooden beams were found that had been placed on soggy parts. These too had grooves, 1.054-1.22 m. apart. The different measurements might point to different dates of construction.
View of the road investigated in 1899. Photo: vici.org, Lucius.
A wooden part of the road investigated in 1957. Photo: Strübin 1962, Bild 9.Traces of Roman buildings have been found along the road. In 1900 a dedicatory inscription was found, presumably from a shrine on the mountain pass.
HENI[oc]
VS D(e?) P(roprio?) D(edit?)
P(onendum) C(uravit) AMO
R LIBER
TVS
V(otum) S(olvit) L(ibens) M(erito)Henioc(h)us
at own cost gave this.
The placing was taken care of by Amor,
his
freedman.
He fulfilled his vow gladly and deservedly.Kolb et al. 2022, nr. 578; EDCS-12300045. Photo: Archäologie Baselland.
Literature
Burckhardt-Biedermann 1902; Burckhardt-Biedermann 1914; Gansser-Burckhardt 1938; Strübin 1962; Drack-Fellmann 1988, 419-420; Drack-Fellmann 1991, 152-155; Horisberger 1993; Von Wartburg 2019.
[19-Oct-2023]
