Antique voie aurélienne (également sur commune de Maussane)
MonumentHidden Treasure
Antique voie aurélienne (également sur commune de Maussane), located in Paradou (Bouches-du-Rhône), is a ancient remains built in Antiquity. The monument is currently closed to visitors.
Key facts
- Type
- autre
- Period
- Antiquity
- Location
- Paradou, Bouches-du-Rhône, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
- Visit
- Closed to visitors
- Mérimée Reference
- PA00081398
A major remnant of the Romanisation of Provence, the Via Aurelia crosses the Alpilles with its intact milestone markers — a fragment of the Roman Empire in the open air, listed as a Historic Monument since 1909.
History
In the heart of the Alpilles, between the communes of Paradou and Maussane-les-Alpilles, a path of flat, rounded stones still reveals the secrets of the Roman legions: it's the Aurelian Way, one of the main arteries of the Pax Romana in Narbonne Gaul. Here, where thousands of soldiers, merchants and ambassadors trod for centuries, today's walkers can see Rome's organisational genius with singular acuity. What distinguishes this section of the Alpilles from the countless ancient roads buried under modern asphalt is precisely its legibility: the route is still visible in the landscape, and some of the milestones - engraved limestone cylinders used both as kilometre markers and as instruments of imperial propaganda - have survived twenty centuries without disappearing. The presence of these milestones in situ gives the site exceptional archaeological value, which is extremely rare in France. The experience of visiting the site is as much an archaeological hike as it is a meditation on the landscape. The gnarled olive trees of the Alpilles, the fragrant garrigue and the grey-white limestone ranges form a backdrop that has not fundamentally changed since the time of Augustus. Looking at a milestone that has stood there for two thousand years, in the silence of Provence, evokes a kind of heritage emotion that is hard to match. The site is perfect for lovers of ancient history, heritage walks and photographers in search of low-angled light on pale stone. Families with curious children will find it a lively educational tool, far removed from museum displays. The best way to approach the site is on foot, following the signposted footpaths that follow or intersect the ancient route.
Architecture
The Aurelian road meets the standards of Roman road engineering, codified and applied with remarkable consistency throughout the Empire. The characteristic transverse profile, known as the agger, has a multi-layered structure: a foundation of large rough stones (statumen), an intermediate layer of crushed rubble (rudus) and a surface covering of carefully joined slabs of local limestone (summa crusta), slightly curved towards the centre to ensure that rainwater runs off into the side ditches. The typical width is between 4 and 6 metres for the central carriageway, rising to 8 to 10 metres including the shoulders. The most striking architectural feature of the site are the milestones associated with the route. These cylindrical columns of Alpilles limestone, with an average diameter of 50 to 60 centimetres and a height of between 1.20 and 2 metres, bear Latin inscriptions engraved in Roman capitals. The inscriptions generally read the name and titles of the emperor under whom the milestone was erected or restored, as well as the distance in Roman miles from Arles or Fréjus, depending on the orientation. Their state of preservation is remarkable for outdoor objects eighteen to twenty centuries old, and testifies to the quality of the local limestone used. Against the backdrop of the Alpilles landscape, the route skilfully follows the topography, favouring ridge lines and natural flats, avoiding flood-prone areas while maintaining the straight lines characteristic of Roman planning. The outcropping limestone bedrock has enabled the surface slabs to be exceptionally well preserved in places, and they are visible among the scrubland vegetation.
Related Figures
Gaius Aurelius Cotta — censeur romain, initiateur de la Via Aurelia vers 241 av. J.-C.Gnaeus Domitius Ahenobarbus — consul romain, conquérant de la Provence en 125 av. J.-C., organisateur du réseau routier narbonnaisAuguste (Octave) — premier emperor romain, sous lequel le réseau viaire provincial fut systématisé et les milliaires standardisésAgrippa — général et gendre d'Auguste, grand organisateur du réseau routier de la Gaule romaineDioclétien — emperor romain dont plusieurs milliaires provençaux portent le nom, témoignant des restaurations routières du IIIe siècleProsper Mérimée — inspecteur général des Monuments Historiques, figure clé de la redécouverte et de la protection du patrimoine antique provençal au XIXe siècle
Map
Coordinates not available for this monument.
Tags
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Antique voie aurélienne (également sur commune de Maussane) located?
Antique voie aurélienne (également sur commune de Maussane) is located in Paradou, Bouches-du-Rhône department, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region, France.
When was Antique voie aurélienne (également sur commune de Maussane) built?
Antique voie aurélienne (également sur commune de Maussane) dates back to a period built during Antiquity.
Is Antique voie aurélienne (également sur commune de Maussane) open to visitors?
Antique voie aurélienne (également sur commune de Maussane) is currently closed to visitors.