Early excavations

Inspired by wealthy citizens of Basel, major excavations began in 1582 at the Augst Theatre, co-financed by the Basel City Council. The motivation behind this costly undertaking is not known. However, there are many indications that valuable finds and cheap building materials were hoped for. The mining specialist Andreas Ryff was entrusted with the excavation, as his expertise in tunnel construction presumably ensured that the work would be carried out competently.

From an archaeological point of view, it was a fortunate coincidence that in 1587 the Basel lawyer and humanist Basilius Amerbach became aware of the exposed ruins. From 1588 until his death in 1591, he documented and measured the exposed remains of the building out of purely scientific interest. From 1590 onwards, he was assisted in this task by the Basel painter and surveyor Hans Bock the Elder. The result was an extensive archaeological documentation comprising over 80 pages of plans, descriptions and sketches, which was unique for its time and is now kept in the University Library of Basel.

In his 23rd volume of ‘Merkwürdigkeiten der Landschaft Basel’ (Curiosities of the Basel Landscape), published in 1763, Daniel Bruckner devoted considerable attention to the ruins of Augusta Raurica known at the time. He also dealt with the remains of the theatre, drawing extensively on Amerbach's documentation from the late 16th century.

After occasional further excavations, the first modern scientific investigations of this site, carried out systematically since 1878, took place in the 19th century. The research findings of Basel high school teacher Theophil Burckhardt-Biedermann and his colleagues led to renewed and increased interest in the theatre ruins in Basel.

First land acquisitions and HAG

In 1884, the Historical and Antiquarian Society of Basel (HAG) acquired the entire site, including the Schönbühl hill opposite, with the help of a donation from Johann Jakob Merian. In the decades that followed, lawyer, historian and archaeologist Karl Stehlin continued the work of his predecessors with determination. We owe much of our current knowledge of the ancient city to him.

However, shortly after Stehlin's death in 1934, it quickly became apparent that the archaeological activities could not be guaranteed in the long term, the Historical and Antiquarian Society of Basel decided to create an independent foundation with a largely untouchable capital and a circle of patrons, known at the time as contributors, who would guarantee regular income. On 29 June 1935, the deed establishing the Pro Augusta Raurica Foundation was signed.

Thanks to the financial support of an initial 370 patrons, research at Augusta Raurica was able to continue and intensify.

1955 Roman house and museum

In 1955, the foundation received a gift from the industrial magnate René Clavel, who lived in the villa on Castelen, in the form of the Roman house he had inspired and helped to design. In 1957, the museum, funded by the canton of Basel-Landschaft, was opened. This created the enclosed archaeological zone that still exists today, with the theatre, the Schönbühl temple, the Roman house and the museum. In 1959, the site of the rediscovered amphitheatre was acquired by the foundation thanks to a collection and a further donation from René Clavel.

It subsequently became increasingly clear that the foundation was unable to bear sole responsibility for research at Augusta Raurica. In the 1960s and 1970s, the excavations had reached such proportions as a result of hectic construction activity that they could only be financed with state funds. On 1 January 1975, the ‘Treaty on Roman Research’ came into force, transferring the main burden of scientific activity to the canton of Basel-Landschaft, but also obliging the neighbouring cantons to provide support.

Roman Treaty of 1975

The once imposing Roman city is now divided between two cantons and two municipalities. The former upper town lies in Augst in the canton of Basel-Landschaft, while the lower town and the later Castrum Rauracense are located in Kaiseraugst on the Rhine and thus in the canton of Aargau. Many protected monuments, such as the theatre and the Schönbühltempel temple, are owned by the Historical and Antiquarian Society of Basel and are thus protected from modern development.
The Roman Treaty of 1975 (renewed in 1998) between the HAG, the Pro Augusta Raurica Foundation and the cantons of Basel-Landschaft, Basel-Stadt and Aargau stipulates, among other things:

• The canton of Basel-Landschaft coordinates the archaeological work in Augst (BL) and Kaiseraugst (AG).
• The cantons of Basel-Landschaft and Aargau shall carry out archaeological excavations on their respective cantonal territories.
• The ruins of the ancient city shall be uniformly maintained and cared for.
• The canton of Basel-Landschaft will restore, preserve and maintain all finds.
• The canton of Basel-Landschaft will be responsible for mediation and Public relations.

The relevant legal framework is laid down in the Roman Treaty, the Culture Promotion Act and the Archaeology Act of the canton of Basel-Landschaft and the Culture Act of the canton of Aargau.