Thomas Weibel08.11.2022Wilhelm Tell’s crossbow is, so to speak, the national weapon of Switzerland. In actual fact the weapon has its origins in ancient China, and although superior to the bow the crossbow didn’t have the best reputation.
Kurt Messmer15.08.2022The Greek myths are a treasure chamber of human possibilities and limits. A little foray into the life of Heracles, the greatest hero of them all, provides ample evidence of this. The setting is archaic and mythical; the knowledge gained is ageless.
Andrea Schaer11.07.2022At the thermal springs in Baden, the Romans worshipped a goddess with her roots in Egypt. After the Baden region converted to Christianity, a saint from Lower Egypt became the patroness of the spa town on the Limmat.
Katrin Brunner13.06.2022Around 200 years ago, just when there was a shortage of heroes, the myth of Divico was born. As the chief of the Tigurini people of Helvetia, he made history on account of his brave deeds and the often disrespectful way he talked to Julius Caesar.
Katrin Brunner16.03.2022In Roman times, major urban centres such as Vitudurum (Oberwinterthur), Aquae Helveticae (Baden) and Vindonissa (Windisch) needed to be fed. Large farming estates in the region played a major role in meeting this need.
Andrea Schaer11.03.2022Long before Switzerland became a popular tourist destination, the hot mineral springs at Baden in Aargau were a magnet for people in search of rest and relaxation. The first souvenir of Switzerland: high-profile guests and numerous travel reports carried the spa town’s reputation into the wider world.
Katrin Brunner23.04.2021Around 1,600 years ago, the Roman Emperor Valentinian I had the Rhine and Danube borders extended by a substantial amount. He wanted to protect the empire from the onslaught of the peoples of the north.
