Il nome Provence derives from having been a Roman province. Indeed, the current French regions of Languedoc-Roussillon and Provence-Alpes-Cote d’Azur formed in Roman times the province of Gallia Transalpina or Gallia Narbonensis, named after the capital Narbonne. The territory was annexed in 121 BC after the military victories of consuls Quintus Fabius Maximus and Gnaeus Domitius Ahenobarbus over the local populations of the Allobroges and the Arverni. In 58 BC, the beginning of a migration of the Helvetii towards Gaul gave Julius Caesar the pretext to intervene militarily in the region. Caesar’s exploits, narrated in the De Bello Gallico, lasted until 50 BC and definitively sealed the Roman conquest of all Gaul.
The Gallia Narbonensis has always played a crucial role in the development of the Roman Empire: its annexation guaranteed the protection of land communications with Spain, conquered about a century earlier after the Second Punic War, and at the same time protected Italy from Gallic incursions. The ports of Narbonne and Marseille were strategic for trade in the Mediterranean, and the Rhône River, which runs through the entire province, was the preferred route for transporting metals coming from the Rhineland and the rest of Gaul.
Seeking out the Roman remains of the South of France offers the chance to discover archaeological sites of great artistic value, often capable, because of their grandeur, of inspiring awe and emotion. Here is a road trip itinerary by car and motorcycle, in 10 stages.
1 The Trophy of Augustus in La Turbie
Arriving in France by car from Liguria, near the Principality of Monaco, the view is captured by the remains of an imposing monument: this is the Trophy dedicated to Augustus for his victories over the Alpine tribes. The monument, built in 6 BC, stands on a square pedestal 38 meters on each side, on the front of which is the inscription listing the 46 Alpine tribes defeated by the emperor. On the sides are carved typical symbols of triumph: enemy weapons hung on a tree and the defeated Gauls in chains. Above the pedestal is a majestic colonnade that gives the Trophy an overall height of about 35 meters.
Located on the border between Italy and Gaul, the monument represented the power and unity of the Roman Empire. It was part of a larger complex dedicated to Hercules Monoikos, with whom Augustus was associated, and from which the Principality of Monaco took its name.
2 Frejus
The town of Frejus is located on the site of the Roman city of Forum Iulii. Its name reveals its commercial vocation (also favored by its position at the crossroads between the via Iulia Augusta and the via Domitia) and its foundation by Julius Caesar. It was the only military port of the Roman fleet of Gallia Narbonensis. During the reign of Emperor Tiberius (14-37 AD), its main public works were built. The most imposing is the amphitheater, capable of hosting around 12,000 spectators. Although it was extensively rebuilt after being submerged following the breaking of the Malpasset dam in 1959, the original structural part of the stands can still be admired.
Some sections of the aqueduct, the walls, and the harbor lighthouse (known as Lanterne Auguste) are also visible. Finally, the columns of the cathedral baptistery, dating back to the 5th century AD, were reused from a previous Roman-era construction.
3 Marseille
Massalia (later Massilia) was a Greek colony. Marseille was allied with Rome since the time of Tarquin the Elder and thus gained great advantages for its trade in the Mediterranean, to the detriment of the Carthaginians and the Etruscans. In the Roman era it was a free civitas, or a city independent from the provincial governor, but still subordinate to Rome. For siding with Pompey during the first triumvirate, it was besieged and reconquered by Caesar: it retained its legal status, but lost its fleet and all its possessions in Gaul which were transferred to the nearby Arelate (Arles).
The Musée d’Histoire de Marseille exhibits a selection of archaeological finds from the Greek and Roman periods and presents 3D reconstructions of ancient urban planning. The adjacent archaeological area of the Bourse is also part of the museum route, where some structures of the port and Greek walls are visible.
The Roman Dock Museum, on the other hand, houses some structures related to the Roman port. These are stone silos and large buried ceramic jars that served as refrigerators.
4 Arles
The Roman Arelate (today Arles) preserves numerous remains which, together with the Romanesque monuments, have been included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage. The two entertainment buildings, the amphitheater and the theater, are particularly spectacular. The first, built in the 1st century AD, could hold about 21,000 spectators, divided into four tiers of seats, depending on their social class. From the theater, built in the 1st century BC, comes the famous statue of the Venus of Arles, now kept at the Louvre, and many valuable architectural fragments visible on the site. Both buildings were fortified in the medieval period and most of the stones from the stands were reused for later constructions. Inside, houses were even built which completely altered their appearance and function. Only from the early 19th century did a restoration and preservation process begin that brought them back to their original appearance.
The only visible external part of the Roman forum today consists of two columns and part of the pediment of a temple in the Place du Forum. In reality, the forum of Arles was built on a slope; therefore, to level the pavement, it was necessary to build a cryptoporticus, that is, a series of underground galleries that served as supports. This particularly fascinating environment is now accessible from the Jesuits’ chapel. Inside, there are also notable Roman architectural pieces, probably extracted in medieval times from other monuments and stored there.
Arles was a city dear to Emperor Constantine, who established a residence there and who in 314, following the recognition of the Christian religion, convened the first council there. From the Constantinian era dates an important thermal building, partially incorporated in the surrounding houses, a paleochristian basilica, and the necropolis of Les Alyscamps which hosted the burials of Saints Trophimus and Genesius.
5 Saint-Rémy-de-Provence
Near the town of Saint-Rémy-de-Provence are the remains of the Roman city of Glanum. Originally founded by the Greeks from nearby Marseille, it flourished during the Republican era and became a Roman colony under Augustus. It is possible to visit a large part of the ancient city, including public buildings, houses, and the thermal spring district, considered sacred and therefore monumentalized and accompanied by the temples of Valetudo, the Roman goddess of health, and Hercules, along with numerous votive altars.
About 200 meters from the archaeological area stand two other notable monuments. The first is a perfectly preserved mausoleum from the Augustan age, whose inscription tells us it was dedicated by the brothers Sextus, Marcus, and Lucius of the gens Iulia to their parents. Next to it stand the remains of a triumphal arch that, similarly to the monument at La Turbie, celebrated Augustus’s victory over the Gauls.
6 Nîmes
L’ancienne Nemausus était l’une des plus grandes villes de la Gaule. Elle est encore aujourd’hui riche en monuments romains, au point de lui valoir le surnom de « Rome française ». Au centre de la ville se trouve l’imposant amphithéâtre, dont l’histoire est très similaire à celle de l’amphithéâtre d’Arles. En excellent état de conservation se trouve la Maison Carrée, un temple romain du Ier siècle de notre ère, unique trace restante du forum municipal. Le temple était dédié à Caius et Lucius César, petits-fils d’Auguste et désignés par l’empereur comme ses héritiers, mais tous deux décédés jeunes. Le monument est très bien conservé car il a été réutilisé au cours des siècles comme église catholique. Dans le parc public des Jardins de la Fontaine, il est possible de voir les vestiges du soi-disant temple de Diane, dont le plan basilical suggère plutôt une fonction civile (une bibliothèque a été supposée).
De l’enceinte murale originelle, longue d’environ 6 kilomètres, il ne reste que la massive Tour Magne, la Porte d’Arles (ou Porte d’Auguste) et un arc de la Porte de France, encastré entre deux habitations. Peu en dehors du centre se trouve le Castellum aquae, infrastructure de la partie finale de l’aqueduc local, célèbre pour le Pont du Gard.
7 The Pont du Gard
About 30 kilometers from Nimes stands the impressive Pont du Gard, a UNESCO World Heritage monument. The structure was part of the aqueduct that carried water from the Uzés spring to Nimes and allowed crossing of the Gardon river. Built in the 1st century AD, it is 275 meters long and 49 meters high and has three tiers of arches: the first was passable by carts, while water flowed on the third.
The Nimes aqueduct as a whole is an extraordinary engineering work. It is 50 kilometers long, with a slope of 34 centimeters per kilometer, for a total drop of only 17 meters. To allow water to flow more smoothly, the aqueduct conduit was coated with a mixture of pig fat, olive oil, and fig juice. The Pont du Gard site, in open countryside with a calm and swimmable river, is also very suitable for a pleasant day trip.
8 Orange
The Roman colony of Arausium, today Orange, is especially known for its beautiful theatre from the Augustan period. Not only is it of considerable size (it could hold about 9,000 spectators), but above all it is one of the very few in the world to preserve intact the imposing stage wall, 103 meters long and 37 meters high. The wall, which ensured the building’s acoustic quality, was originally covered with colored marbles and was divided into three orders, decorated with niches, columns, and statues. The doors of the lower order were used for the entrance of actors on stage. Above the main door, intended for the entrance of the protagonists, there was a frieze depicting Centaurs, today preserved in the local archaeological museum. The central niche of the second order houses a grand statue of Augustus with the attributes of the triumphant; this statue probably replaced a previous one of Apollo, protector of the arts, to remind the public of the value of the pax romana. On the sides of the stage, two towers were used to store scene equipment.
The other great monument of Orange is the triumphal arch. Located at the entrance to the city for those arriving from the road connecting Lyon with Orange, it is the oldest existing three-arched arch. It was erected in 20-25 AD to celebrate the victories of Germanicus and the Legio II Gallica, whose veterans founded Arausium, and then rededicated to Tiberius in 27 AD. The Roman monuments of Orange, for their historical and artistic value, are included in the UNESCO World Heritage list.
9 Vaison-la-Romaine
Vaison-la-Romaine was originally one of the main cities of the Vocontii tribe, who maintained relative independence even during Roman rule, when the city took the name Vasio Julia Vocontiorum. The Roman city is located along the left bank of the Ouvèze river, while the medieval city developed on the hill on the right bank, as it was more easily defensible. The river is crossed by a delightful Roman bridge from the 1st century AD.
The Roman remains are found in two adjacent areas within the current town center, Puymin and La Villasse. The Puymin site is characterized by several large villas, of which the mosaic decorations can still be appreciated today. Among these stand out the House of Apollo crowned and the House of the Pergola, which developed over the years starting from a modest rural house to reach an area of 3,000 square meters. In the same area is the theater, whose cavea is fully reconstructed, but whose internal galleries retain their original atmosphere, and a small antiquarium, with a significant selection of artifacts from the city.
In La Villasse public areas predominate, such as shopping streets, baths, and fountains. The architectural and urban quality shows that it was a very wealthy center. Also in this area are some sumptuous villas: the Dolphin House, which was also a farm, and the House of the Silver Bust, the largest in Vaison (5,000 square meters) with an attached thermal complex initially public and later integrated into the villa.
10 Vienne
Originally the capital of the Allobrogi tribe, Vienne was transformed by Caesar into a colony named Colonia Julia Viennensis. Following the late imperial administrative reorganization initiated by Diocletian, Vienne took on a central role in the diocese that included Gallia Narbonensis and Aquitaine, and was chosen as a residence by various emperors, including Constantine, Flavius Claudius Julianus, and Valentinian II.
The city preserves significant monuments from the 1st century A.D. The temple, as the inscription tells us, was dedicated to the goddess Roma, to Augustus, and to Livia, wife of Augustus, deified after her death. It is therefore a temple devoted to the imperial cult, according to the canons of Augustan political propaganda. The Garden of Cybele is an archaeological park where it is possible to admire the remains of the ancient forum area. The theater, which hosts the renowned Jazz à Vienne festival every year, stands near a smaller Odeon, as happens in Lyon. The late antique circus dates back to this era, of which one of the obelisks at one of the circuit’s ends remains. Because of its shape, and for being built with Aswan granite, this monument is known as La Pyramide. On the opposite bank of the Rhône River lies the site of Saint-Romain-en-Gal, formerly a residential and artisanal area of Vienne. The site also hosts the interesting Gallo-Roman Museum.
