Recent archaeological finds have shown that Schaan has been inhabited for over 6,000 years: In the year 15 BC, the
Romans, under
Augustus, conquered the territory of the present Principality of Liechtenstein and established the Roman province of
Raetia. In the 1st century AD, a military road was built from
Milan to
Bregenz, running along the
Luzisteig on the right bank of the Rhine. This led to the building of settlements in modern-day Schaan. In 1887, two Roman legionnaire's helmets were found buried during digging work above Dux. Bearing the engraved names of the legionaries
Publius Cavidius Felix and
Numerius Pomponius and dated to the 1st century AD, it is likely that they were intended as a variety of commemoration of the two men. They are now housed in the museums of Bregenz and Zurich. The most important Roman building on the territory of the municipality is a fort built in the valley, whose purpose was to afford protection against the ever more frequent
Alemannic invasions. Remains of its foundations and the gate tower are again visible from St. Peter's Church, Schaan. A 5th century baptistery was found during excavations inside this church, suggesting early Christianization. During excavations there, traces of a prehistoric settlement were also found. The Alemannic settlement is evidenced by numerous grave finds. At that time Schaan consisted of two separate parts. The Romanized Räter-people had their centre at St. Peter, while the Alemannic population settled in the area of Specki. This dichotomy can still be seen today in the existence of two alpine cooperatives, the North-Alemannic cooperative Gritsch and the southern Rhaeto-Roman cooperative Guschg. == Politics ==