In Chur Roman remains have been found on two major locations, both in the south part of the city. To the west of the river Plessur was a settlement that flourished in the first three centuries, especially in a part of town called Welschdörfli. On the opposite side of the river a fortification and Christian buildings were erected in late antiquity. Already in 1902 baths were found. Many rescue excavations were necessary due to building activity, starting in the 1960's. The ancient name of the settlement was Curia, as documented in the Itinerarium Antonini and on the Tabula Peutingeriana.
Plan of the area to the west of the river Plessur. Drack-Fellmann 1988, Abb. 300.
1: mansio (?); 2: houses (in a protective building); 3-5, 8: houses and workshops; 6: church of St. Peter; 7: baths; 9-10: public buildings.Only a relatively small part of the settlement has been excavated. The size of buildings 9 and 10, at the west end, suggests a public function. There seems to have been a square to the east. To the east of the square were baths (7; 39 x 20 m.). Four rooms had hypocausts for heating. A bit to the south-east a fragment of a marble inscription was found that mentions Lucius Caesar (17 BC - 2 AD), grandson and adoptive son of Augustus.
L(ucio) CA[esari Augusti f(ilio) divi Iuli n(epoti?)]
PRINC[ipi iuventutis co(n)s(uli) des(ignato?)]To Lucius Caesar, son of Augustus, grandson of the deified Iulius,
first among the youth, designate consul.Kolb et al. 2022, nr. 717.
Date: 2 BC - 2 AD.
W. 0.26, h. 0.33.
Photo: EDCS-10701818.In the centre of the settlement houses and workshops were found (2-5). Some rooms were heated. In building 2 (today in a protective building), consisting of two units, bronze statuettes of Diana and Mercurius were found, and paintings.
The statuettes of Diana and Mercurius. Hochuli-Gysel et al. 1991, Abb. 189.
Of the paintings a stretch 12 m. wide and 3 m. high was preserved. On a white background are an ithyphallic donkey, Mercurius holding a money pouch (marsupium) and herald's staff (caduceus), a bird in a cage, and a rooster and two or three chickens. Above the donkey is the graffito P(ublius) Statini(u)s(?) (f)eliciter multis annis vivam, "Publius Statinius, may I live happily for many years" (EDCS-24200318).
Painting of a donkey, Mercurius, and a bird in a cage. Photo: Wikimedia, Adrian Michael.
Click on the image to enlarge.
Painting of Mercurius. Photo: Rätisches Museum, Chur.A building complex at the east end has been interpreted as a mansio, an inn and stopping-place (1). In the centre of the complex were baths with heated rooms (15 x 8 m.). They were flanked by two wings, the eastern one measuring about 33 x 20 m.
Plan of the area to the east of the river Plessur. Drack-Fellmann 1988, Abb. 358.
1: fortification wall; 2: Cathedral of the Assumption of Mary; 3: St. Stephan; 4: St. Luzius; 5: St. Martin; 6: Rätisches Museum.To the east of the river Plessur a few remains were found of a fortification built in late antiquity, probably during the reign of Valentinianus I (364-375 AD). In the fifth century the seat of the bishop was established in this area.
Ivory lid of a box with Aesculapius, found in the cathedral.
Around 400 AD. H. 0.087. Photo: Domschatzmuseum Chur.
Literature
Heierli-Oechsli 1903; Jecklin 1903; Jecklin-Coaz 1923; Poeschel 1930; Poeschel 1945; Erb 1963; Jahrbuch der Schweizerischen Gesellschaft für Ur- und Frühgeschichte 57 (1972-73), 301-302; 60 (1977), 142; Defuns-Lengler 1979; Schneider-Schnekenburger 1980, 61-65, 173-177, 218; Drack 1980(2); Drack 1981; Hochuli-Gysel et al. 1981; Overbeck-Pauli 1982, 34-49; Hochuli-Gysel et al. 1986; Lengler 1987; Metzger 1987; Drack-Fellmann 1988, 380-384; Hochuli-Gysel et al. 1991; Drack-Fellmann 1991, 99-103; Gairhos 2000; Gairhos-Peters 2000; Rageth 2000; Studer 2004.
[1-Dec-2023]
