Romans on the Rhône:
Major Roman Sites in the Rhône Valley

based upon a presentation by Tom Sienkewicz of Monmouth College and Tom Watkins of Western Illinois University at the Illinois Classical Conference, October 2000
They toured this sites in the spring of 1999.

Lyons (Lugdunum)
Musée de la Civilisation Gallo-Romaine (well planned and displayed, includes copy of Claudius’ speech)
Theatre
Odeon
Amphitheatre of the Three Gauls

Vienne (Vienna Senatoria)
27 km south of Lyons
Theatre
Temple of Augustus and Livia
St-Romaine-en-Gaul (archaeological site of the Gallo-Roman city and adjacent museum with excellent mosaics and models)
The medieval papal city of Avignon can be used as a base of operations to visit the following sites:
Orange, Pont du Gard, Nîmes, Arles, Glaunum, and Barbegal.

Orange (Aurausio) 29 km north of Avignon
Triumphal arch
Theatre
Museum (in bad need of restoration, includes public survey map from time of Vespasian)

Pont du Gard

25 km from Avignon
This site is presently under repair and development. The top of the aquaduct is closed and a new parking area is under construction.

Nîmes (Nemausus)
63 km from Avignon
Arena (= Amphitheatre)
Maison Carrée (one of the best preserved Roman Temples)
Castellum Divisorium (distribution center for waters from the Pont du Gard aquaduct)
Musée Archéologique (many cinerary urns and tombstones)

Arles (Arelate)
50 km south of Avignon
Arena (= Amphitheatre, the largest north of the Alps)
Theatre
Cryptoporticus
Baths of Constantine
Musée de l’Arles Antique (excellent building with many plans and reconstructions) built on edge of ancient circus

Glaunum
20 km south of Avignon
Roman arch and tomb
excellent archaeological site of Hellenic city with small museum

Barbegal
32 km from Avignon
ruins of Roman aqueduct and flour mill. a bit difficult to find, but well worth the effor

Nice (Nicaea)
While the remains of ancient Greek Nicaea are no longer visible, the Roman site of Cimiez (Cenemelum) includes an amphitheatre, an archaeological site with bath complex and an archaeological museum.

Trophée des Alpes (Tropaeum Alpium or Tropaea Augusti)
 
c. 12 km east of Nice at La Turbie on the Gande Corniche roar to Monaco
Augustan monument celebrating the Roman subjugation of Gaul, 6 B.C.

Paris (Lutetia)
Not on the Rhône, but who can visit France without stopping in Paris?
Arena (Les Arènes de Lutèce)
Baths (Musée Cluny)
Archaeological Crypt under the Parvis of Notre-Dame Cathedral
Musée de Carnavalet has many artifacts from the Gallo-Roman period.

This page was placed on the web by Prof. Tom Sienkewicz of Monmouth College. If you have any questions or suggestions about this website, you can contact him at toms@monm.edu.

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