Our knowledge of Roman Zürich is fragmentary, based on scattered objects and on countless small-scale excavations. The most important remains are of baths (20 x 30 m.), and of two round wooden shrines. One of the shrines was found on the Grosser Hafner, an island in the Zürichsee that is today underwater, some 500 meters to the south of the settlement. Dendrochronology provided a date of 122 AD or shortly afterwards for the construction. It had a diameter of seven meters.
Plan with the location of some of the Roman remains.
Wyss Schildknecht et al. 2020, Abb. 35.The ancient name of Zürich was Turicum. It is documented in an inscription, on a funerary altar found in 1747. It was set up for the child Lucius Aelius Urbicus by his parents. His father, Unio, a freedman of Lucius Aelius Verus Caesar, was in charge of a customs office in the settlement. The name is also found in later texts, such as a description of the martyrdom of Felix and Regula, written around 800 AD. They were beheaded in Zürich around 300 AD. Here the castrum Turici is mentioned, the "camp of Turicum" (Passio Sanctorum Felicis et Regulae 1).
D(is) M(anibus)
HIC SITVS EST
L(ucius) AEL(ius) VRBICVS
QVI VIXIT AN(no)
VNO M(ensibus) V D(iebus) V
VNIO AVG(usti) LIB(ertus)
P(rae)P(ositus) STA(tionis) TVRICEN(sis)
XL G(alliarum) ET AEL(ia) SECVNDIN(a)
P(arentes) DVLCISSIM(o) F(ilio)To the spiritis of the underwolrd.
Here is buried
Lucius Aelius Urbicus,
who lived years
1, months 5, days 5.
Unio, freedman of the emperor,
head of the office in Turicum
of the fortieth of the Gauls, and Aelia Secundina,
his parents for their sweetest son.Limestone funerary altar, found in 1747. W. 0.63, h. 1.30, d. 0.37.
After 136 AD. Kolb et al. 2022, nr. 394. Photo: EDCS-10800649.Only two other inscriptions have been found. The funerary altar of Flavia Sacrilla was found in 1937 (EDCS-10900315). The third inscription, found in 1868, is a dedication to Diana, goddess of the hunt, and Silvanus, god of the woods, by the ursarii. These "bear-men" were bear-keepers and bear-hunters in the army. The bear skins could be used as part of the soldiers' clothing, but the animals could also be taken to the amphitheatre.
DEAE DIANAE
ET SILVANO
VRSARI(i)
POSVERV
NT EX VOTOFor the goddess Diana
and Silvanus
the bear-men
set this up
after a vow.Limestone slab, found in 1868. W. 0.50, h. 0.425, d. 0.165.
EDCS-10800648; Kolb et al. 2022, nr. 393. Photo: Wyss Schildknecht 2020, Abb. 269.In 1669 a bronze statuette of Mars-Amor was found (but forgeries also emerged). On his helmet is a sphinx, on the breastplate are a Gorgoneion flanked by lion protomes and floral motifs with two birds, on the shin guards are masks, probably of Sileni.
The statuette of Mars-Amor, found in 1668. H. 0.244. Photo: Bürge et al. 2013, Abb. 1.
During excavations in 1937-1938 a fragment of a limestone block was found with depictions of Minerva and Victoria. According to most scholars it formed part of the socle of a Jupiter Column (in German, a "Jupitergigantensäule"). These columns were crowned with a statue of Jupiter, usually on horseback, trampling a Giant. It has also been suggested that the block formed part of a gate. In 1852 a relief of a seated female deity holding a horn of plenty was found. It could be Fortuna or Abundantia, deity of abundance and prosperity.
Sandstone relief of a female deity, found in 1852. W. 0.53, h. 0.48 cm, d. 0.22. Photo: Neukom 2002, Taf. 54.In 1868 a hoard of jewelry was discovered to the north of the Lindenhof hill. It consisted of eight gold rings, two gold bracelets, and the silver head of a large hairpin. The rings have chalcedony intaglios or gold reliefs with depictions of a sea creature, Hercules with the club, a raven (the bird of Apollo) with a lyre in its claws, and a Satyr with a thyrsos staff and a bunch of grapes. One ring has two snake heads. The ends of the bracelets consist of snake heads. The objects were made in the late first or early second century.
The gold objects from the hoard found in 1868. Photo: Wyss Schildknecht et al. 2020, Abb. 47.
Left: intaglio with a raven holding a lyre in its claws. Right: intaglio with a Satyr holding a thyrsos staff and a bunch of grapes.
Wyss Schildknecht et al. 2020, Abb. 84 and 86.On a wall of a backyard many graffiti were discovered, mostly fragmentary. Some were drawings, of a human head, a herm, and a cockfight (one of the cocks is lying on its back). The name Lucianus was written nine times by nine different hands.
Some of the graffiti with the name Lucianus. EDCS-80800007. Photo: Wyss Schildknecht et al. 2020, Beilage 5.
Graffiti of a herm and a cockfight. Wyss Schildknecht et al. 2020, Taf. 43.
In late antiquity a fortification was built on the Lindenhof hill, probably at the end of the third or in the first half of the fourth century. It was polygonal, with six or seven towers and two gates. The walls were 2.00-2.20 m. thick.
Plan of the fortification. Wyss Schildknecht et al. 2020, Abb. 90.
Reconstruction of the fortification. Wyss Schildknecht et al. 2020, Abb. 91.
Literature
Keller 1860, 285-291; Bogaers 1984; Drack-Fellmann 1988, 571-574; Drack-Fellmann 1991, 300-304; Neukom 2002, 69-70, 81-82; Balmer et al. 2004; Bürge et al. 2013, 34-35; Wyss Schildknecht et al. 2020.
[12-Apr-2024]
