- Lutetia
[
Gaul in the 1st century BC, showing the location of Lutetia and relative positions of the Celtic tribes.] Lutetia (sometimes "Lutetia Parisiorum" or "Lucotecia", in French "Lutèce") was a town in pre-Roman and RomanGaul . TheGallo-Roman city was a forerunner of the re-establishedMerovingian town that is the ancestor of present-dayParis . Lutetia and Paris have little in common save their position where an island, theÎle de la Cité , created a convenient ford of theSeine . The name comes from theLatin , meaning "Midwater-dwelling".Gallic origins
Somewhere in the immediate area was the chief settlement or
oppidum of the Parisii, a Gallic people who settled in the area during the3rd century BC . However, dendrochronological study of wooden pilings beneath the lowest stratum of the Roman north-south axis date the road's construction after A.D. 4, more than fifty years after the Roman pacification of the region.Roman Lutetia was founded above the flood-prone point where the Bièvre stream reaches the
river Seine , centered on the slopes of the hill later dedicated toSaint Genevieve , on the left bank of the Seine (modern-dayLatin Quarter ). There were outlying suburbs on an island across from the confluence, theÎle de la Cité , which was theMerovingian and modern centre ofParis .The name of "Lutetia" was first recorded by
Julius Caesar in his "Commentaries on the Gallic Wars" (notably in book 7, chapters 57-58). The name seems to be related to an Indo-European root meaning "mud ", reflecting themarsh y surroundings, which the Romans avoided.Urbanization
The regular grid-plan of Roman Lutetia marked it as the city, in the Gallo-Roman sense. The city was the only sector in which, starting in the
2nd century AD, public monuments were constructed. The north-south axis was dictated by the need to cross the marshy riverbanks in the shortest possible distance; several routes converged at the bridgehead. The Roman public works were all on the north-facing slope of the hill of Ste Genevieve. The discovery of ancient paved roads, the established boundaries of the main monuments—the forum at the top of the hill, theatre, baths— even the path of certain medieval roads show that the Roman city was laid out with a module of precisely 300 Roman feet. On the Left Bank, the Rue St-Jacques and on the Right Bank, the Rue St-Martin still follow the Roman main axis ("cardo maximus").An aqueduct 26 km in length, with a flow rate estimated at 2000 cubic meters a day, watered the city with spring water collected from several points. To bridge the Bièvre valley at Arcueil-Cachan, a bridge was required, whose piers and ruined arches, still discernible, gave rise to the
toponym "Arcueil".The amphitheatre, built into the slope of the hillside outside the city itself, is commonly referred to as "Les Arènes de Lutèce". It was one of the largest such structures in Gaul.
Events
The town was captured by the
Roman Republic in52 BC during the conquest ofGaul underJulius Caesar .The Lutetians backed the revolt of
Vercingetorix against the Romans under Caesar, reportedly contributing 8,000 men to Vercingetorix's army. It was garrisoned by Vercingetorix's lieutenant Camulogenus, whose army camped on the Mons Lutetius (where thePanthéon is now situated). The Romans crushed the rebels at nearbyMelun and took control of Lutetia.Under Roman rule, Lutetia was thoroughly Romanised with a population estimated at around 8,000 people. It did not have a great deal of political importance - the capital of its province, Lugdunensis Senona, was Agedincum (modern Sens, Yonne). It was Christianised in the
3rd century , traditionally when St Denis became the city's first bishop. The process was not entirely peaceful - in about250 St Denis and two companions were arrested and decapitated on the hill of Mons Mercurius, where Roman foundations have been found, thereafter known as Mons Martyrum (Martyrs' Hill, orMontmartre ).Lutetia was renamed Paris in
212 , taking its name from the Gallic Parisiitribe name. The name had already been used for centuries as anadjective ("Parisiacus"). The legend of the Breton city ofYs suggests a different, if less likely, origin.Around the same time, the city quarter on the left Seine bank, which housed the baths, the theatres and the
amphitheatre , was gradually abandoned with the population being concentrated on the island, which received newfortification s. The classical theater began to be dismantled during the 4th century.For the history of the city after its renaming, see the article on Paris.
Present-day remains
Very little is now left of the ancient city although more is currently being discovered. In a small park on high ground in the
Latin Quarter of theLeft Bank , tucked behind apartment blocks, one may still see some remains of the1st century amphitheatre ("Arènes de Lutèce "). Furthermore, there are the remains of public baths at theMusée de Cluny (frigidarium with vault intact andcaldarium ) and the Early Christian archeologicalcrypt under the Notre Dameforecourt .May 2006 Findings
In
May 2006 , a road dating back 2,000 years was discovered at the site of Lutetia during construction onUniversity of Pierre and Marie Curie .The National Institute of Preventive Archaeological Research is currently excavating the site.During the excavation, remains of private houses containing
Roman baths and heated floors were found. Over the next few weeks, however, archaeologists were to pull up the ruins to make way for a research center. Everyday items like flowerpots,bronze chains, ceramics, and drawer handles were dug out. Many of these items were expected to be on exhibit inmuseums shortly after.Archaeologists acknowledge that this was the first site discovered from the reign ofRoman emperor Augustus (63 B.C.-14 A.D.).The Builders
As far as details on the ancient builders, archeologists are in disagreement over the character of the neighborhood's builders. Some believe that a former
Gallic aristocracy , recruited byRome to govern thecolony settled in the area. The new Roman governors andnoblemen did build the city in a Roman style, but certainly used materials found locally. Most of this is assumed because they had to have been wealthy enough to own aRoman bath found in one of the homes. A privately ownedRoman bath was considered to be astatus symbol amongRoman citizens .It is presumed that this particular
dwelling was built in the first decade of the 1st century, at the end of emperor Augustus's reign, away from the administrative and commercial center of the Roman city. This neighborhood stood on the Roman main street (called "cardo maximus ") that was originally paved for the Romans to cross the nearbySeine River and is today theRue St. Jacques in Paris' fashionable 5th district.Conservation of the Findings
Due to Parisian official conservation policy, when construction work in Paris is planned, archaeologists review all building permits and constructioners must ask for official's opinion to determine whether the site is of historical value. If the site proves significant in historical value, an excavation permit is then issued. One of the problems concerning the potential conservation of this site is the inherent destruction incurred by the excavation process, due to the need for expansion of the university facilities to help in the research of ancient and historic Paris.
Further reading
*
Philippe de Carbonnières , "Lutèce: Paris ville romaine" (Gallimard 20012, ISBN 2-07-053389-1)Related facts
There is also an
asteroid named21 Lutetia ; and the elementlutetium was named after the city, in honor of its discovery in a Paris laboratory.External links
* [http://www.paris.culture.fr/en/index.html "Paris, a Roman city"]
* [http://www.discoverfrance.net/France/Paris/Parks_Gardens/Arenes_de_Lutece.shtml Arènes de Lutèce - Paris Parks & Gardens]
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