Roman Sites in Arles, Nîmes & Orange

Introduction

The Mediterranean coast of France was a well-urbanised and prosperous area in the 2nd century BC. The main powers here were the various tribes of Gauls who inhabited the area and Greeks from the port city of Massalia (Marseille), who controlled much of the trade in the region. The Roman Republic, too, had its interests here, initially as a protector of Massalia, its trading partner, later as an independent entity.

In the second half of the 2nd century BC, the Romans conducted a series of military campaigns against various tribes that were present in Southern Gaul. The victory achieved by Gnaeus Domitius Ahenobarbus and Quintus Fabius Maximus over the Allobroges and the Arverni in 121 BC placed the region under the Roman control. The former commissioned the construction of the Via Domitia, the first Roman road in Gaul. In 118 BC he established the Colonia Narbo Martius (Narbonne), which became the capital of the province.

It was the first Roman province beyond the Alps, initially known as Gallia Transalpina (to distinguish it from Gallia Cisalpina in Northern Italy), later known as Gallia Narbonensis (after its capital). The Romans also called it Provincia Nostra (‘Our Province’), from which is derived the name of the later region of Provence.

The province was important for the Romans for three main reasons: it allowed them to establish a land route between Italy and the Roman provinces in Hispania, it served as a buffer zone that protected Italy from the attacks of the Gauls, and it granted control over the trade routes on the Rhône.

The region benefited greatly from the Romanisation. The local populations gradually adopted the aspects of the Roman culture and assimilated. Several settlements that had been founded in the Gallic period developed into magnificent Roman cities.

In case of three cities in the Lower Rhône Valley – Arles (Arelate), Nîmes (Nemausus), and Orange (Arausio) –, this took place during the first decades of the Empire, after they had been formally established as Roman colonies. These cities were endowed with new fortifications, a new water distribution system, a new urban plan, and all the buildings that were indispensable in a Roman city, like triumphal arches, temples, theatres, amphitheatres, circuses, and baths. In case of Arles, which kept its importance until the last days of the Roman Empire, the urban transformation took place in several phases. In case of Nîmes and Orange, most known structures are from the early imperial period. In all these cities, several Roman buildings survive in a good condition even today, which makes them the most important cluster of Roman sites in France.

Sites

In these portfolios I will introduce all the major Roman sites (including the archaeological museums) in Arles, Nîmes, and Orange. For the sites that are in bold there are photos in the portfolios. The collection would be comprehensive if it also included the city of Glanum and the remains of the Roman roads and aqueducts across the countryside of the region.

Arles

Fortifications: Tour des Mourgues | Boulevard Émile Combes & Montée Vauban | late 1st century BC
Fortifications: Porte d’Auguste | Boulevard Émile Combes & Montée Vauban | late 1st century BC
Forum: Cryptoporticoes | Plan de la Cour 4 | c. 30-20 BC; 4th century AD
Forum: Temple | Place du Forum 14 | 1st century AD; 4th century AD
Forum: Exedra | Rue de la République 29 | 1st century AD
Theatre | Rue du Cloître 1 | c. 12 BC
Amphitheatre | Rond-point des Arènes | c. 80-90 AD
Barbegal Aqueduct & Watermill | Route de l’Aqueduc & Route de Barbegal, Fontvieille | late 1st or early 2nd century AD
Circus | Avenue Jean Monnet | AD 149; AD 330s
Circus Obelisk | Place de la République | AD 330s
Baths of Constantine | Rue du Grand Prieuré | early 4th century AD
Alyscamps | Avenue des Alyscamps | before 4th century AD
Museum of Ancient Arles | Presqu’île du Cirque Romain

Nîmes

Fortifications: Tour Magne | Place Guillaume Apollinaire | 16-15 BC
Fortifications: Porte d’Auguste | Boulevard Amiral Courbet 25b | 16-15 BC
Fortifications: Porte de France | Rue Porte de France 31 | 16-15 BC
Spring Sanctuary | Jardins de la Fontaine | late 1st century BC or early 1st century AD
Spring Sanctuary: Temple of Diana | Jardins de la Fontaine | late 1st century BC or early 1st century AD; 2nd century AD
Forum: Maison Carrée | Place de la Maison Carrée | 10 BC – AD 4
Aqueduct: Pont du Gard | Vers-Pont-du-Gard | c. 40-60 AD
Aqueduct: Castellum divisorium | Rue de la Lampeze 14 | c. 40-60 AD
Amphitheatre | Boulevard des Arènes | c. 90-120 AD
Museum of Romanity | Boulevard des Arènes 16