Via Domitia

The Domitian Way (Via Domitia) traverses the region from end to end.
It intersects with two other roman roads : the Via Agrippa and the Via Aurelia.

History

In 118 B.C., Cneus Domitius Ahenobarbus left Rome with his legions, crossed the Mont Genèvre pass in the Alps and then the Rhone River. Like Hannibal 100 years earlier, Domitius followed the route of his illustrious predecessor in the opposite direction, riding an elephant. His mission was to establish a land route, which could be used in all weather conditions, and also to set up garnisons to protect the first outposts of Roman colonisation, such as the one at Narbonne.

He built a renowned military route that bears his name  : the Domitian Way (Via Domitia), which quickly became a communication and trade route. The first planned development in the territory of Gaul was thus a road, which is the oldest road in France. This allowed Rome to fashion the entire south of Gaul in its image, by distributing agricultural lands to Roman colonists (through the cadastral registration system), and by building new cities. In addition to the exchanges between Rome and its colonial cities, a “crossroads culture” developed along the way between neighbouring market towns and the postal relay stations, which encouraged local economic activity.

First of all, the Roman legions had priority, followed or sometimes preceded by merchants (mercatores, negociatores – merchants and large traders), who succeeded in enriching themselves at the expense of the Gauls. Next, it was used by the bureaucrats of the Republic, and later of the Empire (cursus publicus – the imperial postal service). Finally, it was used by private citizens (patricians or poor people), travelling for pleasure (tourism) or out of necessity. The large majority of travellers were transported in four-wheel carriages drawn by mules. People of modest means walked on the shoulders on both sides of the road.

Construction and remains

The Domitian Way (Via Domitia) was laid out in a near-straight line over solid terrain and was usable year round. When it passed through inhabited areas, it was paved or lined with flagstones (at Ambrussum, for example), and in steep slopes it was cut from solid rock (as at Panissars), but for the most part, the Domitian Way was a dirt road built on stratified layers of gravel and cobblestone (the section at Pinet). It is cut through by numerous rivers and was also subjected to the climatic influences of the time :

« This road is excellent in summer, but in winter and spring, it is a nothing more than a bog flooded by overflowing rivers, which can be crossed either in small ferries or via wooden bridges. » (Strabon, book IV,1,12)

Even though the road was abandoned over the centuries and its original materials are now hidden in many places by modern roads, entire portions of ballast and structural works can still be seen, such as bridges and mileposts, which indicate distances in Roman miles (1,481 km) from the city administrative centre.

Other Roman Roads

The Augustan Way (Via Augusta) was the longest Roman road in the Iberian Peninsula. It extended over approximately 1,500 km from the Pyrenees to Cadiz in the south of Spain. The emperor Augustus (27 B.C. to 14 A.D.) issued a decree ordering its rehabilitation at the turn of the millennium and gave his name to this road. At the time it was an important communication and trade route between cities, provinces and ports of the Mediterranean. -

Links

- The Roman Roads in the Mediterranean (history, geography, maps, photos, bibliography, etc.).
Website : http://www.viaeromanae.org
- Roman Nîmes : Via Domitia (available in french)
Website : http://monuments.nimes.fr/domitia/architecture.htm
- Occitania - Itineraries : Via Domitia (available in french)
Website : http://www.occitania.fr/itiner/tjs/via/index.htm