Hidden remains of Lentia at Lenzburg

If you visit Lenzburg, you visit jam producer Hero. This Saturday however, I visited Lenzburg in search for the theater of Lentia. A small Roman settlement with approximately 500 inhabitans during its heydays, but with a theater which could hold 4.000. Currently, it is an insiders tip away from the railwaystation, hidden in the surrounding forest.

It was uncovered by surprise; a small sensation, when a motorway was built in 1964. Unfortunately, the current site almost shows no original remains.
 

 

The vicus consisted of a broad colonnaded street with shops, cafe's and factories for leather, ironworks and the production of millstones. Houses and villa's were situated at the surrounding landspots. It probably also consisted a small military unit. The vicus was established around 45 BC and was primarily build of wooden houses. At the end of the 1st century it was destroyed by fire and partly rebuild in stone. In the 3rd century it was abandoned.

More pictures of this theater can be seen here!