Aventicum

Aventicum was the largest town and capital of Roman Switzerland (Helvetia or Civitas Helvetiorum) [1]. Its remains are beside the modern town of Avenches [1]. Under the rule of Emperor Vespasian, who grew up there, Aventicum was raised to the status of a colonia in 72 AD, whereupon it entered its golden age [1]. The town wall was 5.6 km long but was impracticable for defensive purposes and was doubtless intended as a display of the status of the city [1]. The Alemanni sacked the city in the 280s, and neither Aventicum nor its hinterland recovered from both the impact of the attack and the subsequent changes of the Roman frontier which no longer granted security to the area [1]. The Cigognier Temple was built as a massive and impressive temple and may have been the chief temple of the Imperial cult in the entire civitas Helvetiorum state [1].