Ambrussum
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Ambrussum (, ; ) is a
Roman Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of Roman civilization *Epistle to the Romans, shortened to Romans, a letter w ...
archaeological site in
Villetelle Villetelle (; ) is a commune in the Hérault department in the Occitanie region in southern France. Geography The river Vidourle, which is the boundary between the departments of Gard and Hérault, runs along the town. History The Gallo-Ro ...
,
Occitania Occitania is the historical region in Southern Europe where the Occitan language was historically spoken and where it is sometimes used as a second language. This cultural area roughly encompasses much of the southern third of France (except ...
,
Southern France Southern France, also known as the south of France or colloquially in French as , is a geographical area consisting of the regions of France that border the Atlantic Ocean south of the Marais Poitevin,Louis Papy, ''Le midi atlantique'', Atlas e ...
. It is close to the modern town Lunel, between
Nîmes Nîmes ( , ; ; Latin: ''Nemausus'') is the Prefectures in France, prefecture of the Gard Departments of France, department in the Occitania (administrative region), Occitanie Regions of France, region of Southern France. Located between the Med ...
and
Montpellier Montpellier (; ) is a city in southern France near the Mediterranean Sea. One of the largest urban centres in the region of Occitania (administrative region), Occitania, Montpellier is the prefecture of the Departments of France, department of ...
. Ambrussum is notable for its museum, its staging post on the
Via Domitia The Via Domitia was the first Roman road built in Gaul, to link Italy and Hispania through Gallia Narbonensis, across what is now Southern France. The route that the Romans regularised and paved was ancient when they set out to survey it, and tra ...
, its bridge ''
Pont Ambroix The Pont Ambroix or Pont d'Ambrussum (French for ''Ambrussum Bridge'') was a 1st-century BC Roman bridge in the south of France that was part of the Via Domitia. It crossed the Vidourle at Ambrussum between today's Gallargues-le-Montueux in t ...
'' over the
Vidourle The Vidourle (; ''Vidorle'' in occitan) is a river in southern France that flows into the Mediterranean Sea in Le Grau-du-Roi. Its source is in the Cévennes mountains, northwest of Saint-Hippolyte-du-Fort, at Saint-Roman-de-Codières. It flow ...
, painted by
Gustave Courbet Jean Désiré Gustave Courbet ( ; ; ; 10 June 1819 – 31 December 1877) was a French painter who led the Realism movement in 19th-century French painting. Committed to painting only what he could see, he rejected academic convention and the ...
, and for its ''
oppidum An ''oppidum'' (: ''oppida'') is a large fortified Iron Age Europe, Iron Age settlement or town. ''Oppida'' are primarily associated with the Celts, Celtic late La Tène culture, emerging during the 2nd and 1st centuries BC, spread acros ...
'' (fortified village). Its history of settlement spanned 400 years. The whole site is still being excavated. A lower settlement prone to flooding was a staging post for travellers on the Via Domitia and provided stabling and accommodation and the full range of repair facilities that were needed by carts and the Imperial postal service. The higher settlement was based on a pre-Roman oppidum which was within a surrounding wall including 21 towers. The Romans re-modelled the oppidum, so there is evidence of a complete range of housing styles from the earliest one room dwellings to sophisticated courtyard houses on the second century AD. The
Roman road Roman roads ( ; singular: ; meaning "Roman way") were physical infrastructure vital to the maintenance and development of the Roman state, built from about 300 BC through the expansion and consolidation of the Roman Republic and the Roman Em ...
, the
Via Domitia The Via Domitia was the first Roman road built in Gaul, to link Italy and Hispania through Gallia Narbonensis, across what is now Southern France. The route that the Romans regularised and paved was ancient when they set out to survey it, and tra ...
, ran at the foot of the settlement, leading from it is a paved road with visible with traces of Roman chariot tracks. The Roman bridge was used until the Middle Ages but fell into disrepair, and only one complete arch remains.


Location

Ambrussum, or its alternative spelling of ''Ambrusium'', is mentioned as a staging post (
mutatio In the Roman Empire, a ''mansio'' (from the Latin word ''mansus,'' the perfect passive participle of ''manere'' "to remain" or "to stay") was an official stopping place on a Roman road, or ''via'', maintained by the central government for the use ...
) on the
Antonine Itinerary The Antonine Itinerary (, "Itinerary of the Emperor Antoninus") is an , a register of the stations and distances along various roads. Seemingly based on official documents, possibly in part from a survey carried out under Augustus, it describes t ...
of AD 200, on pilgrims' guide on the route to the Holy Land of AD 333 and on the
Peutinger map ' (Latin for 'The Peutinger Map'), also known as Peutinger's Tabula, Peutinger tables James Strong and John McClintock (1880)"Eleutheropolis" In: ''The Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological, and Ecclesiastical Literature''. NY: Haper and Brothers ...
of 1520. All place it midway between Nimes (Nemausis) and
Castelnau-le-Lez Castelnau-le-Lez (; ) is a commune in the Hérault department in the Occitanie region of Southern France. Located on the outskirts of Montpellier, it is situated around 3 km (1.8 mi) north of the city centre. Geography Castelnau-le ...
(Sextantio), about from each. The
Via Domitia The Via Domitia was the first Roman road built in Gaul, to link Italy and Hispania through Gallia Narbonensis, across what is now Southern France. The route that the Romans regularised and paved was ancient when they set out to survey it, and tra ...
linked the
Alps The Alps () are some of the highest and most extensive mountain ranges in Europe, stretching approximately across eight Alpine countries (from west to east): Monaco, France, Switzerland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Germany, Austria and Slovenia. ...
with the
Pyrenees The Pyrenees are a mountain range straddling the border of France and Spain. They extend nearly from their union with the Cantabrian Mountains to Cap de Creus on the Mediterranean coast, reaching a maximum elevation of at the peak of Aneto. ...
, and is the oldest
Roman Road Roman roads ( ; singular: ; meaning "Roman way") were physical infrastructure vital to the maintenance and development of the Roman state, built from about 300 BC through the expansion and consolidation of the Roman Republic and the Roman Em ...
in
Gaul Gaul () was a region of Western Europe first clearly described by the Roman people, Romans, encompassing present-day France, Belgium, Luxembourg, and parts of Switzerland, the Netherlands, Germany, and Northern Italy. It covered an area of . Ac ...
, more specifically
Gallia Narbonensis Gallia Narbonensis (Latin for "Gaul of Narbonne", from its chief settlement) was a Roman province located in Occitania and Provence, in Southern France. It was also known as Provincia Nostra ("Our Province"), because it was the first ...
in France. Laid out by Cneius Domitius Ahenobarbus around 120 BC, it was to become part of the roads that linked
Italy Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...
with Cadiz in
Spain Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...
. At Ambussum the Via Domitia crosses the
Vidourle The Vidourle (; ''Vidorle'' in occitan) is a river in southern France that flows into the Mediterranean Sea in Le Grau-du-Roi. Its source is in the Cévennes mountains, northwest of Saint-Hippolyte-du-Fort, at Saint-Roman-de-Codières. It flow ...
, and the settlement provided a staging post on this road. Directly adjacent to the site, the modern
A9 autoroute The A9 autoroute (''La Languedocienne''/''La Catalane'') is a motorway in Southern France. The road forms part of the European route E15, as does the A9 road (Scotland). The road runs between Orange and Perthus, in the Pyrénées-Orientales ...
, the ''Languedocienne'' crosses the Vidourle and at this point there is the modern day equivalent of a mutatio, the
Aire de service A rest area is a public facility located next to a large thoroughfare such as a motorway, expressway, or highway, at which drivers and passengers can rest, eat, or refuel without exiting onto secondary roads. Other names include motorway ser ...
de Lunel. The site is reached through the village of
Villetelle Villetelle (; ) is a commune in the Hérault department in the Occitanie region in southern France. Geography The river Vidourle, which is the boundary between the departments of Gard and Hérault, runs along the town. History The Gallo-Ro ...
. The bridge is 20 m above sea level, and the highest point of the oppidum is 58 m. When in spate the Vidourle will rise by 8 m. From the highest point, the Oppidum de Nages is easily seen. Further one can see
Mont Ventoux Mont Ventoux (; ) is a mountain in the Provence region of southern France, located some northeast of Carpentras, Vaucluse. On the north side, the mountain borders the department of Drôme. At , it is the highest mountain in the region and h ...
,
Pic Saint-Loup Pic Saint-Loup (Languedocien dialect, Languedocien: ''Puòg de Sant Lop'') is a mountain in Languedoc-Roussillon, southern France, located near the communes of Cazevieille and Saint-Mathieu-de-Tréviers in the Hérault departments of France, depa ...
, and the hills of the Cevennes including the
Causse du Larzac Larzac (, ), also known as the Causse of Larzac (French: '' Causse du Larzac''; ), is a limestone karst plateau in the south of the Massif Central, France, situated between Millau (in the department of Aveyron) and Lodève (in the departme ...
and
Mont Aigoual Mont Aigoual (; , elevation 1567m / 5141 ft) is the highest point of the Gard '' department'', France. It is part of the Massif Central, and it is located within the Cévennes National Park. Its southern slopes are the source of the river ...
.


History

The site was first settled in 2,300 BC and the construction started on the
oppidum An ''oppidum'' (: ''oppida'') is a large fortified Iron Age Europe, Iron Age settlement or town. ''Oppida'' are primarily associated with the Celts, Celtic late La Tène culture, emerging during the 2nd and 1st centuries BC, spread acros ...
around 300 BC. It was a settlement of
Gaul Gaul () was a region of Western Europe first clearly described by the Roman people, Romans, encompassing present-day France, Belgium, Luxembourg, and parts of Switzerland, the Netherlands, Germany, and Northern Italy. It covered an area of . Ac ...
s. The
Romans Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of Roman civilization *Epistle to the Romans, shortened to Romans, a letter w ...
conquered the area in 120 BC. The
paved road A road surface (British English) or pavement (North American English) is the durable surface material laid down on an area intended to sustain vehicular or foot traffic, such as a road or walkway. In the past, gravel road surfaces, macadam, ho ...
at the heart of the oppidum was laid around 100 BC. Between the oppidum and the river was a staging post (
mutatio In the Roman Empire, a ''mansio'' (from the Latin word ''mansus,'' the perfect passive participle of ''manere'' "to remain" or "to stay") was an official stopping place on a Roman road, or ''via'', maintained by the central government for the use ...
) on the
Via Domitia The Via Domitia was the first Roman road built in Gaul, to link Italy and Hispania through Gallia Narbonensis, across what is now Southern France. The route that the Romans regularised and paved was ancient when they set out to survey it, and tra ...
. That, and the
Pont Ambroix The Pont Ambroix or Pont d'Ambrussum (French for ''Ambrussum Bridge'') was a 1st-century BC Roman bridge in the south of France that was part of the Via Domitia. It crossed the Vidourle at Ambrussum between today's Gallargues-le-Montueux in t ...
were constructed in around 30 BC. The flow patterns of the river changed around 10 BC; it became more aggressive and flooding became more frequent. The large houses on the south of the oppidum were built in AD 50. The whole oppidum was abandoned in AD 100, but parts of the lower settlement were still in use in AD 400, and the Pont Ambroix continued in use throughout the
Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the 5th to the late 15th centuries, similarly to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire and ...
. It took a battering from the Vidourlades, or violent floods or spates on the Vidourle. During a spate, the water flow increases from a minimum of 3 m3/s to over 3000 m3/s. Floods were recorded on 8 October 1723. The floods of 18 November 1745 reduced the bridge from four arches to three. Further major floods occurred on 6 October 1812, 21 October 1891, and 21 September 1907. The floods of 7 September 1933 reduced the bridge from two arches to the one we see today. The site was abandoned when transit patterns changed, the Domitia became less important and the community relocated to Lunel-Viel, which better served a north–south transit. The site was returned to its natural state, and later to the cultivation of vines and olives. This protected the archaeological record.


Site

Ambrussum contains three archaeological sites of international importance: the Colline de Devès which was first occupied in 2300 BC and settled as an oppidum between 300 BC and 100 AD; the Roman staging post on the Via Domitia which had hotels, a baths and industrial buildings; the Roman bridge, the Pont Ambroix. The bridge is a Mérimée list National Monument No. PA00103057. The oppidum is a Mérimée list National Monument No. PA00103760


Oppidum

Originally the Oppidum was the work of the Volcae Arecomici who started it in the fourth century BC. Nine square houses from the earliest period were recorded by Émile Marignan, these were roofed with branches and reeds. A rectangular house from the third century has been excavated. This contained both rough earthenware pottery for cooking and a finer black glazed table ware. During the first century BC, the hill was terraced and the houses became narrower similar to those found at Nages. The hill was fortified in the late fourth century BC, the ramparts enclosed an area of . It was triangular in form but most of the eastern section was looted to be used in lime kilns. It consisted of a dry limestone wall. There were three gateways, one to the north, south and east. The western section of the wall, cleared in 1974, revealed 24 bastions. These were originally rectangular but were replaced in the mid-third century BC with rounded ones. Two of the towers were substantially higher; these were built as watch towers and for prestige. The ramparts were abandoned in the first century AD.Musée de Ambrussum, Interpretation board (grey), 2011 After the Romans settled the area in 120 BC the hill was redeveloped, the residential areas were reorganised, and the road through the settlement from the east gate to the south gate was paved. The south gate was enlarged and a large square was cleared behind with a civil basilica, stones of which made their way in the second century AD to the staging post. The Via Domitia would have passed around the hill, but it has been speculated that it passed along this narrow road. The route of the Via often passes along roads with the name 'Route de la Monnaie', but as this originates from a translation of 'raised road' it merely shows that the road was using Roman construction techniques rather than that it formed part of the Via Domitia. The south gate does lead to a 'Route de la Monnaie', but the paved road in the oppidum has a gradient of 9% and is too narrow for carts to pass, although it would have been suitable for important visitors. The paved road at the east gate leads towards the bridge, but stops abruptly at a steep bank. It is thought that the river has undercut the bank at this point and removed all traces of the road. The north of the post-conquest oppidum is densely populated, but the houses there were of the domus style found throughout the Empire - courtyard dwellings where the slaves lived closest to the entrance and the family in the building opposite. To the south are some large courtyard homes built around AD 50. The whole oppidum was abandoned in AD 100.


Staging post

The existence of a staging post for the Imperial mail is known of from written sources, and also that it was located by the Vidourle and as a consequence was continually being rebuilt. An embankment was built to protect the settlement from flooding. The Imperial staging post itself was a complex containing two courtyards and two buildings. In the south gallery, the walls were decorated with paintings and a purse containing 43 denarii has also been found there. This building would have been for Imperial messengers and travelling officials. It was renovated and possibly changed its use in the fourth century AD, at a time when the rest of the site had been abandoned. A separate inn has been excavated. It contained a courtyard for the animals and carts and five guest rooms. Adjacent was a building with a bread oven. The inn remained substantially unchanged from 30 BC to AD 125. Nearby, and closer to the water were two further inns, parts of which date from AD 200 to 250. The settlement was substantial enough to have a bathhouse. Although most of it is now beneath a modern road, the heater chamber remains. The praefurnia took the heated air to the
underfloor heating Underfloor heating and cooling is a form of Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning, central heating and cooling that achieves indoor climate control for thermal comfort using hydronics, hydronic or electrical heating elements embedded in a fl ...
, hot water to the calidarium and steam to the
laconicum The ''laconicum'' (i.e. Spartan, ''sc.'' ''balneum'', "bath") was the dry sweating room of the Roman ''thermae'', sometimes contiguous to the ''caldarium'' or hot room. The name was given to it (Laconia: Sparta) since it was the only form of warm ...
. There was also a blacksmith's courtyard house with a forge specialising in carriage building. This dates from AD 25 to 175. Excavations are still continuing; the land is privately owned and not accessible to the public.


Pont Ambroix

The bridge was built across the
Vidourle The Vidourle (; ''Vidorle'' in occitan) is a river in southern France that flows into the Mediterranean Sea in Le Grau-du-Roi. Its source is in the Cévennes mountains, northwest of Saint-Hippolyte-du-Fort, at Saint-Roman-de-Codières. It flow ...
River with 11 arches. It was still usable in the
Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the 5th to the late 15th centuries, similarly to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire and ...
, with all 11 arches intact, but a sketch by Anne Rulman in 1620 shows only four and then when painted by
Gustave Courbet Jean Désiré Gustave Courbet ( ; ; ; 10 June 1819 – 31 December 1877) was a French painter who led the Realism movement in 19th-century French painting. Committed to painting only what he could see, he rejected academic convention and the ...
in 1857 only two arches were left. One of those was lost in the flooding of 1933, so only a single arch remains.Musée de Ambrussum, Interpretation board (green), 2011


Excavation

The antiquity of the Pont Ambroix had never been disputed and it had been visited by Mérimée, who included it in the first edition of his Historical Monuments of France in 1840. The adjacent hill, the ''Colline de Devès'', was not investigated until the 1960s however.Musée de Ambrussum, Interpretation board (red), 2011 In 1964 Marc Fenouillet did a surface inspection in the vineyard at the base of the hill and found Roman era remains. In November 1967, the first archaeological test digging was begun on the hill itself by Jean-Luc Fiches and traces of the oppidum were found; a larger, volunteer dig was made the following July. In 1974, a path had been cleared around the ramparts and the oppidum was recognised and classified as an historic monument. A regular pattern of annual digs was established. The paved road was discovered in 1975. Between 1980 and 1985 further excavations established that the lower site, adjacent to the bridge, was a staging post on the Via Domitia. In 1984 the hill was donated to authorities in Lunel but the lower site remains in private ownership. There was a pause in the excavations between 1986 and 1992. Subsequently, the lower site became the focus of attention, along with the contours of the river. In 2009 the community of Lunel began the construction of a visitor centre and museum, although work was interrupted in May 2011 by an accidental fire that set the vegetation alight. Four water-carrying aircraft
Canadair Canadair Ltd. was a Canadian civil and military aircraft manufacturer that operated from 1944 to 1986. In 1986, its assets were acquired by Bombardier Aerospace, the aviation division of Canadian transport conglomerate Bombardier Inc. Canadai ...
s were called in to help the firefighters sapeur-pompiers extinguish the fire. Fortuitously, the fire revealed more features of the oppidum. The museum designed by Michel Goroneskoul opened on 25 June 2011.


See also

* Oppidum de Nages


References


External links


Website about Ambrussum



Painting by Gustave Courbet

A short Tour of Ambrussum
{{authority control Buildings and structures in Hérault Former populated places in France Museums in Hérault Archaeological museums in France Museums of ancient Rome in France Tourist attractions in Hérault