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Via Domitia
 
 
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The Via Domitia was the first Roman road
Roman road

The Roman roads were essential for the growth of the Roman Empire, by enabling the Romans to move Military history of ancient Rome and Roman commerce goods and to communicate news....
 built in Gaul
Gaul

Gaul is the name used for the region of Western Europe comprising part of present day northern Italy, France, Belgium, western Switzerland and the parts of the Netherlands and Germany on the west bank of the River Rhine....
, to link Italy
Italy

Italy , officially the Italian Republic , is a country located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe and on the two largest islands in the Mediterranean Sea, Sicily and Sardinia....
 and Hispania
Hispania

Hispania was the name given by the Ancient Rome to the whole of the Iberian Peninsula . When Rome was a Roman Republic, Hispania was divided into Roman provinces: Hispania Citerior and Hispania Ulterior....
 through Gallia Narbonensis
Gallia Narbonensis

Gallia Narbonensis was a Roman province located in what is now Languedoc and Provence, in southern France. Narbonese Gaul "lay between the Alps, the Mediterranean Sea, and the C?vennes Mountains....
, across what is now southern France
France

France , officially the French Republic , is a country whose Metropolitan France is located in Western Europe and that also comprises various Overseas departments and territories of France....
. The route that the Romans regularised and paved was ancient when they set out to survey it, so old that it traces the mythic route travelled by Heracles
Heracles

In Greek mythology, Heracles or Herakles meaning "glory of Hera", or "Glorious through Hera" Alcides or Alcaeus " was a hero, the son of Zeus and Alcmene, foster son of Amphitryon and great-grandson of Perseus....
.






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Narbonne Via Domitia
The Via Domitia was the first Roman road
Roman road

The Roman roads were essential for the growth of the Roman Empire, by enabling the Romans to move Military history of ancient Rome and Roman commerce goods and to communicate news....
 built in Gaul
Gaul

Gaul is the name used for the region of Western Europe comprising part of present day northern Italy, France, Belgium, western Switzerland and the parts of the Netherlands and Germany on the west bank of the River Rhine....
, to link Italy
Italy

Italy , officially the Italian Republic , is a country located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe and on the two largest islands in the Mediterranean Sea, Sicily and Sardinia....
 and Hispania
Hispania

Hispania was the name given by the Ancient Rome to the whole of the Iberian Peninsula . When Rome was a Roman Republic, Hispania was divided into Roman provinces: Hispania Citerior and Hispania Ulterior....
 through Gallia Narbonensis
Gallia Narbonensis

Gallia Narbonensis was a Roman province located in what is now Languedoc and Provence, in southern France. Narbonese Gaul "lay between the Alps, the Mediterranean Sea, and the C?vennes Mountains....
, across what is now southern France
France

France , officially the French Republic , is a country whose Metropolitan France is located in Western Europe and that also comprises various Overseas departments and territories of France....
. The route that the Romans regularised and paved was ancient when they set out to survey it, so old that it traces the mythic route travelled by Heracles
Heracles

In Greek mythology, Heracles or Herakles meaning "glory of Hera", or "Glorious through Hera" Alcides or Alcaeus " was a hero, the son of Zeus and Alcmene, foster son of Amphitryon and great-grandson of Perseus....
. Hannibal traversed it on his way from Hispania
Hispania

Hispania was the name given by the Ancient Rome to the whole of the Iberian Peninsula . When Rome was a Roman Republic, Hispania was divided into Roman provinces: Hispania Citerior and Hispania Ulterior....
 to Italy.

It was constructed in 118 BC by the proconsul
Proconsul

Ancient RomeIn the Roman Republic, a proconsul was a promagistrate who, after serving as consul, spent a year as a Roman governor of a Roman province....
, Gnaeus Domitius Ahenobarbus
Gnaeus Domitius Ahenobarbus (consul 122 BC)

Gnaeus Domitius Ahenobarbus was consul of Ancient Rome in 122 BC. He was the son of the Gnaeus Domitius Ahenobarbus who was consul in 162 BC....
, whose name it bore; it was built around the same time the first Roman colony in Gaul, Colonia Narbo Martius (Narbonne
Narbonne

Narbonne is a commune in France in southern France in the Languedoc-Roussillon r?gion in France. It lies from Paris in the Aude d?partement in France, of which it is a sous-pr?fecture....
) was founded. The Via Domitia connected Italy
Italy

Italy , officially the Italian Republic , is a country located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe and on the two largest islands in the Mediterranean Sea, Sicily and Sardinia....
 to Hispania
Hispania

Hispania was the name given by the Ancient Rome to the whole of the Iberian Peninsula . When Rome was a Roman Republic, Hispania was divided into Roman provinces: Hispania Citerior and Hispania Ulterior....
. Crossing the Alps by the easiest passage, the col de Montgenèvre (1850 m), it followed the valley of the Durance
Durance

The Durance is a river in south-eastern France.Its source is in the south-western Alps, in the ski resort of Montgen?vre near Brian?on. The main tributaries of the Durance are the rivers Bl?one and Verdon River....
, crossed the Rhône
Rhône

Rh?ne can refer to:* Rhone, one of the major rivers of Europe, running through Switzerland and France* Rh?ne Glacier, the source of the Rhone River and one of the primary contributors to Lake Geneva in the far eastern end of the canton of Valais in Switzerland...
 at Beaucaire passed through Nîmes
Nîmes

N?mes is a city in southern France. It is the capital of the Gard Departments of France. N?mes has a rich history, dating back to the Roman Empire, and it is a popular tourist destination....
 (Nemausus) then followed the coastal plain along the Gulf of Lion
Gulf of Lion

The Gulf of Lion is a wide embayment of the Mediterranean Sea coastline of Languedoc-Roussillon and Provence in France, reaching from the border with Catalonia in the west to Toulon....
. At Narbonne, it met the Via Aquitania
Via Aquitania

The Via Aquitania was a Roman road created in 118 BC in the Roman province of Gaul. It started at Narbonne, where it connected to the Via Domitia....
 (which led toward the Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean

The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions; with a total area of about 106.4 million square kilometres . It covers approximately one-fifth of the Earth's surface....
 through Toulouse
Toulouse

Toulouse is a commune of France in southwest France on the banks of the Garonne, half-way between the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea....
 and Bordeaux
Bordeaux

is a Port city on the Garonne in southwest France, with one million inhabitants in its aire urbaine at a 2008 estimate. It is the Capital of the Aquitaine regions of France, as well as the Prefectures in France of the Gironde Departments of France....
). Thus Narbonne was a crucial strategic crossroads of the Via Domitia and the Via Aquitania, and it was an accessible, but well-defendable, port at that time. This "cusp point" in the Roman westwards expansion and ensuing supply, communication and fortification was a very important asset, and was treated as such (see Narbonne
Narbonne

Narbonne is a commune in France in southern France in the Languedoc-Roussillon r?gion in France. It lies from Paris in the Aude d?partement in France, of which it is a sous-pr?fecture....
). In between the cities that it linked, the Via Domitia was provided with a series of mansii
Mansio

In the Roman Empire, a mansio was an official stopping place on a Roman road, or via, maintained by the central government for the use of officials and those on official business whilst travelling....
 at distances of a day's journey for a loaded cart, at which shelter, provender and fresh horses could be obtained for travellers on official business.

The route as it was in Late Antiquity
Late Antiquity

Late Antiquity is a periodization used by historians to describe the transitional centuries from Classical antiquity to the Middle Ages, in both mainland Europe and the Mediterranean world: generally from the end of the Roman Empire's Crisis of the Third Century to the Islamic conquests and the re-organization of the Byzantine Empire under...
 is represented in schematic fashion on the Tabula Peutingeriana
Tabula Peutingeriana

The Tabula Peutingeriana is an itinerarium showing the cursus publicus, the road network in the Roman Empire. The original map of which this is a unique copy was last revised in the fourth or early fifth century....
.

Route

This route can be traced on topographical maps overprinted with the ancient route, in G. Castellve, J.-B. Compsa, J. Kotarba and A. Pezin, eds. Voies romaines du Rhône à l'Èbre: Via Domitia et Via Augusta (DAF 61) Paris 1997.
  • Briançon
    Briançon

    Brian?on is a communes of France in the Hautes-Alpes Departments of France in the Provence-Alpes-C?te d'Azur region in southeastern France. It is the Subprefectures in France of the department....
     (    Brigantio)
  • Chorges
    Chorges

    Chorges is a commune in France in the Hautes-Alpes Departments of France in southeastern France. It is close to Gap, Hautes-Alpes....
     (    Caturigomagus)
  • Gap
    Gap, Hautes-Alpes

    Gap is a communes of France in southeastern France, the capital of the Hautes-Alpes Departments of France....
     (    Vapincum)
  • Le Monetier Allemont (Alabons)
  • Embrun
    Embrun, Hautes-Alpes

    Embrun is a commune in France in the Hautes-Alpes Departments of France in the Provence-Alpes-C?te d'Azur region in southeastern France....
     (    Eburodunum
    Eburodunum

    The Latin name Eburodunum refers to different places:*Brno, Czech republic*Embrun, Hautes-Alpes, France*Yverdon-les-Bains, Switzerland...
    )
  • Sisteron
    Sisteron

    Sisteron a communes of France in the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence Departments of France in the Provence-Alpes-C?te d'Azur regions of France in southeastern France....
     (    Segustero)
  • Notre Dame des Anges (Alaunium)
  • Céreste
    Céreste

    C?reste is a Communes of the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence department in the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence Departments of France in southeastern France....
     (    Catuiacia)
  • Apt
    Apt, Vaucluse

    Apt is a commune in France in the Vaucluse Departments of France in southeastern France. It lies on the left bank of the Coulon, east of Avignon by rail....
     (    Apta Julia)
  • Notre Dame des Lumières (Ad Fines)
  • Cavaillon
    Cavaillon

    Cavaillon is a communes of France of the Vaucluse departments of France, in southern France....
     (    Cabellio)
  • Saint-Rémy-de-Provence
    Saint-Rémy-de-Provence

    Saint-R?my-de-Provence is a Communes of France in the Bouches-du-Rh?ne Departments of France in southern France....
     (    Glanum
    Glanum

    Glanum was a Ancient Rome city in Gallia Narbonensis? Provence in southern France? sited on the flanks of the Alpilles, a range of mountains in today's Bouches-du-Rhone d?partment....
    )
  • Saint-Gabriel
    Tarascon

    Tarascon, sometimes referred to as Tarascon-sur-Rh?ne, is a town and Communes of France in the Bouches-du-Rh?ne Departments of France, in the south of France....
     (    Ernaginum)
  • Beaucaire (Ugernum)
  • Nîmes
    Nîmes

    N?mes is a city in southern France. It is the capital of the Gard Departments of France. N?mes has a rich history, dating back to the Roman Empire, and it is a popular tourist destination....
     (    Nemausus
    Nemausus

    Deus Nemausus is often said to have been the Celtic mythology patron god of Nemausus . The god does not seem to have been worshipped outside of this locality....
    )
  • Ambrussum
    Ambrussum

    Ambrussum is a Gallo-Roman archaeological site in Villetelle, H?rault d?partement in France, in southern France.It is close to the modern town Lunel, between N?mes and Montpellier....
  • Lunel-Vieil
  • Castelnau-le-Lez
    Castelnau-le-Lez

    Castelnau-le-Lez is a Communes of France in the H?rault Departments of France in southern France....
     (    Sextantio)
  • Montpellier
    Montpellier

    Montpellier is a city in the south of France. It is the capital of the Languedoc-Roussillon Regions of France, as well as the H?rault Departments of France....
         route remains unknown
  • Montbazin
    Montbazin

    Montbazin is a Communes of France in the H?rault Departments of France in Languedoc-Roussillon in southern France. Its inhabitants are referred to as Montbazinois....
     (    Forum Domitii)
  • Mèze
    Meze

    Meze or mezze in the Eastern Mediterranean is a selection of appetizers or small dishes often served with beverage, like anise-flavored liqueurs as the Arak , ouzo, Raki_ or different wines, similar to the tapas of Spain or finger food....
  • Pinet
    Pinet, Hérault

    Pinet is a Communes of France in the H?rault Departments of France in Languedoc-Roussillon in southern France....
  • Saint-Thibéry
    Saint-Thibéry

    Saint-Thib?ry is a Communes of France in the H?rault departments of France in Languedoc-Roussillon in southern France....
     (    Cessero) and its Roman bridge
    Roman Bridge (Saint-Thibéry)

    The Roman Bridge at Saint-Thib?ry was a Roman segmental arch bridge on the Via Domitia in southern France. The partly surviving structure crossed the river H?rault in Saint-Thib?ry, 17 km east of B?ziers....
  • Béziers
    Béziers

    B?ziers is a town in Languedoc in the southwest of France. It is a commune in France and a sub-prefecture of the H?rault Departments of France....
     (    Baeterris)
  • Narbonne
    Narbonne

    Narbonne is a commune in France in southern France in the Languedoc-Roussillon r?gion in France. It lies from Paris in the Aude d?partement in France, of which it is a sous-pr?fecture....
     (    Narbo Martius) At Narbonne, a section of the Via Domitia is exposed in the Place de l'Hôtel de Ville. The Via Domitia crossed the Atax (the Aude
    Aude

    Aude is a departments of France in south-central France named after the Aude River. The local council also calls the department "Cathar Country"....
    ) by a seven-arched bridge at the site of the Pont des Marchands.
  • Fitou
    Fitou

    Fitou is a large red wine Appellation d'Origine Contr?l?e in Languedoc-Roussillon, France.The dominant vine variety is Carignan which has to constitute 40% of any blend....
     (    Ad Viscensimum)
  • Salses (Ad Salsulae)
  • Perpignan
    Perpignan

    Perpignan is a commune in France and the pr?fecture of the Pyr?n?es-Orientales D?partement in France in southern France. Perpignan was the capital of the provinces of France and county of Roussillon ....
  • Ruscino
    Ruscino

    Ruscino is a genus of moth in the family Arctiidae.Reference...
At Ruscino, the road separates in two: the Inland Route and the Coastal Route, which rejoin at La Junquera.

Coastal Route
  • Elne
    Elne

    Elne is a town and commune in France of southern France, in the former province of France of Roussillon, of which it was the first capital, being later replaced by Perpignan....
     (    Illiberis
    Illiberis

    In Roman times Illiberis was the name of 2 places:-- *Illiberis or *Iliberris, Hispania Baetica, Pliny's Illiberi Liberini, modern Granada....
    )
  • Saint-Cyprien
    Saint-Cyprien

    Saint-Cyprien is the name or part of the name of several places. Most of them are named after Cyprian:...
  • Argelès
  • Collioure
    Collioure

    Collioure is a seaside Mediterranean Sea town and commune in France a few kilometers north of the Spain border in the French D?partement in France of Pyr?n?es-Orientales, a part of the ancient Roussillon provinces of France and the present-day Languedoc-Roussillon r?gion in France....
  • Port-Vendres
    Port-Vendres

    Port-Vendres is a communes of France of the Pyr?n?es-Orientales departments of France, in France.A typical Mediterranean Sea fishing port, situated near the Spanish border on the cote Vermeille in south west France, Port-Vendres is renowned for its numerous fish and sea food restaurants....
     (    Portus Veneris)
  • Banyuls


Inland Route
  • Montescot
    Montescot

    Montescot is a town and Communes of France in the Pyr?n?es-Orientales Departments of France, in southwestern France....
  • Le Boulou
    Le Boulou

    Le Boulou is a town and Communes of France in the Pyr?n?es-Orientales Departments of France, in southern France....
  • Cluses
    Cluses

    Cluses is a commune of a Canton of Haute-Savoie, France. Citizens are known as Clusiens. The township is situated in the Arve Valley, on the river which bears the same name....
     (    Clausurae
    Clausurae

    The Clausurae is a modern term used by scholars to define short cut-off walls erected in order to block narrow defiles, mountainn passes, etc....
    )
  • Le Perthus
    Le Perthus

    Le Perthus is a communes of France of the Pyr?n?es-Orientales departments of France in southwestern France.The west and south of the town are in Catalonia, Spain ....
     (    Col de Panissars)


Rejoins at:
  • La Junquera (Deciana)


Here the Via Augusta begins.

Roman bridges

For an overview of the location of Roman bridges, see List of Roman bridges
List of Roman bridges

The Roman empire were the world's first major bridge builders. The following list constitutes an attempt to list all known Roman bridges, many of which still survive to this day....
.


There are the remains of several Roman bridges along the road, including the Roman Bridge of Saint-Thibéry
Roman Bridge (Saint-Thibéry)

The Roman Bridge at Saint-Thib?ry was a Roman segmental arch bridge on the Via Domitia in southern France. The partly surviving structure crossed the river H?rault in Saint-Thib?ry, 17 km east of B?ziers....
, the Pont Ambroix
Pont Ambroix

The Pont Ambroix or Pont d'Ambrussum is a 1st century BC Ancient Rome bridge in the south of France which was part of the Via Domitia. It crossed the Vidourle at Ambrussum, between today's Gallargues-le-Montueux in the Gard department and Villetelle in the H?rault department....
 at Ambrussum
Ambrussum

Ambrussum is a Gallo-Roman archaeological site in Villetelle, H?rault d?partement in France, in southern France.It is close to the modern town Lunel, between N?mes and Montpellier....
, the Pont Julien
Pont Julien

The Pont Julien is a Ancient Rome stone arch bridge over the Calavon in the south-east of France dating to 3 BC. It was located on the Via Domitia....
 and the Pont Serme
Pont Serme

The Pont Serme or Pons Selinus, later called the Pons Septimus, was a Roman bridge of the Via Domitia in H?rault, southern France. The approximately 1500 m long viaduct crossed the wide marshes of the Orb River and the Etang de Capestang west of B?ziers, surpassing in terms of length even the Trajan's Bridge over the Danube....
.

See also

  • Roman bridge
    Roman bridge

    Roman bridges, built by Ancient Rome, were the first large and lasting bridges built.Roman bridges were built with stone and had the arch as its basic structure....
  • Roman engineering
    Roman engineering

    The Roman Empire are generally famous for their advanced engineering accomplishments, although some of their own inventions were improvements on older ideas, concepts and inventions....


External links



Bibliography

  • Raymond Chevalier, Les Voies Romaines, Picard, Paris, 1997. ISBN 2-708405-268
  • Pierre A. Clement and Alain Peyre, La Voie Domitienne: De la Via Domitia aux routes de l'an 2000, Presses du Languedoc/Max Chaleil Editeur, 1992. ISBN 2-859980-970
  • Pierre A. Clement, La Via Domitia: Des Pyrénées aux Alpes, Editions Ouest-France, Rennes, 2005. ISBN 2-737335-086