The townspeople

Illustrations located in the grounds of Augusta Raurica show people that may have lived in the town in the 3^rd century AD. We even know some of their names from inscriptions on tombstones and votive altars or from dedications on buildings. It is difficult, however, to find evidence of people from the poorer sections of society since they rarely left any lasting evidence behind.

Clothes make the man

In the Roman period, a person’s social status was evident from the clothing they wore. The toga, for example, could only be worn by Roman citizens. People in the northern provinces often wore clothes in the local, indigenous style: hooded capes were common, and men also wore trousers. The clothes of the less well-off were often made of rough natural fabrics while the wealthy wore finely spun textiles dyed with expensive dyes.

Textiles at Augusta Raurica

Due to a dearth of textile remnants from Augusta Raurica, the illustrations were based on alternative sources, for example, on depictions and written evidence, some of which came from other Roman towns and cities.