Augustodunum

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Roman theater in Autun (Saône-et-Loire, France)

Augustodunum is the Latinized Celtic name of the ancient city of Autun , formed from Augustus , the name of the first Roman emperor, and the Celtic word -dun ("camp", "fortress", "castle").

history

The city in the province of Gallia Lugdunensis was founded in the years 16-13 BC. It was founded by Emperor Augustus on the Atuvaros ( Arroux ) and was on one of the main roads connecting the Haedu , whose most important place was the nearby Bibracte . The road connected Bibracte with Cavillonum ( Chalon-sur-Saône ). With this foundation Rome probably wanted to demonstrate its power and weaken the powerful oppidum of Bibracte. The city, which later became the Civitas Aeduorum , capital of the Haedu, was developed into an administrative, economic, political and spiritual center of Roman power. Augustodunum replaced Bibracte in importance, which was still the oldest and most important city of the Haeduer for Caesar ( de bello Gallico 1.23; 7.55.63) and Strabo (4.192). No city, with the exception of Lugdunum ( Lyon ), could be compared with Augustodunum , which adorned the titles soror and aemula Romae ("sister and rival of Rome").

Architectural monuments

See also: List of Monuments historiques in Autun

from the Gallo-Roman period:

  • City wall: built on Roman foundations
  • ancient city gates Porte d'Arroux and Porte Saint-André
  • so-called Janus temple : was erroneously assigned to the god Janus; a plaque on the building specifies: "The special shape of the temple, called fanum, is of Gallic origin, only the stone-cutting technique is Roman and dates from the 1st century AD. The name Janus was incorrectly associated with the temple when it was in the 16th century Century the historian Pierre de Saint-Julien interpreted the name of the place (French: la Genetoye). In fact, this place name referred to a locality where gorse bushes (Cytisus Genista) grew. The deity who was worshiped here is completely unknown to this day. " (Translated from the English text on the display board)
  • Roman theater with a diameter of 148 m and approx. 15,000 seats; the orchestra and some of the tiers have been exposed
  • roman amphitheater

Others

According to a tradition suffered Bishop Reverianus in 273, just outside the city's martyrdom .

literature