Village Gallo-romain

Gallo-Roman village 100 to 200 AD EPOYSUM

The banner represents a horse's head:
During Roman antiquity, the horse had an ambivalent place in the collective imagination. A symbol of glory and power, it was also a precious helper in man's daily life. A faithful leisure companion for hunting and travelling, it became a source of passion when it was involved in chariot races.

In the second century AD, the borders of the Roman Empire changed little. It had already reached impressive dimensions, its area was at its maximum and had between 50 and 80 million inhabitants. With a million inhabitants, Rome was the largest city in the Mediterranean world.Within these borders reigned the pax romana (the "Roman peace"). On the Mediterranean Sea, which was once plagued by pirate ships, ships now travel safely. In Rome, the emperor concentrated all decision-making powers and was considered a god everywhere.

We are in the period of the High Empire. Before entering the Gallo-Roman village, you can discover its ornamental garden composed of red fruits.
As soon as you enter the village, you notice a notable difference with the Gaulish village, it is organized according to a rectilinear urban plan, notice the main street which was frequently paved with habitats on both sides.
Big house: The house is made up of stone and mortar walls with brick bases that served as decorations but also allowed the masons to maintain the level. The joints are made with a mixture of lime mortar and crushed bricks or tiles.

The roof is made of tiles decorated at the top with pine cone-shaped finials and at the edge with antefixes (decorative faces). The windows are high to let the light in but mostly for fear of thieves. They are obstructed by small colored glass panes. Inside, you discover a common living room, rooms (the separations are made of plastered cob with stone sub-basements which are not found in Gallic houses). The walls are plastered and covered with frescoes, the floor in mortar and pieces of brick has been smoothed and has a mosaic in its center with the effigy of the flag. The frame is very massive in squared wood.

Classic shoemaker's workshop: Small workshop, with windows, covered in slates (two Ardennes sites, Rimogne and Fumay).
The Gallo-Roman Forge: the sub-basements are in stone, the solid walls are also in cob and the roof in slate: a sales area (gallery) and a counter. A great height of the building, a more sophisticated framework (lintels, hips, wooden crossbeam)

The basket maker's house: Then here we are in front of the basket workshop, the Gallo-Romans worked well with wicker; planned for a workshop, a dwelling, and a storage place. The roof is made of slates (old slates recovered from roofers).

Donkey lean-to : Lean-to for donkeys and carts with alder board cover.

The Mill:Just behind you can see the remains of an old medieval mill with a project to rebuild a Roman hydraulic mill and above it the presence of a medieval well.

Vinesgnes : Once past the footbridge over the stream, you can discover a vineyard. The Romans used to crush the grapes with their feet to make wine. As an indication, the Gauls had invented the barrel.

Fanum: Continuing the visit, we stop near the cut trunk of a dead oak that threatened to collapse on the Gallo-Roman village; it is planned to make a sculpture of the Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius.

Roman Camp:  This area is reserved for the itinerant camp. It is necessary to imagine that the Roman camp was delimited by a ditch followed by an embankment of 3 m high equipped with piles. The principle of the installation of the camp is methodical, which allows a very fast construction. The tribune and the centurions in charge of the establishment of the camp surveyed the ground and fixed the location of the prætorium (the general's tent), a square of 60 meters on each side. The white flag planted at this place is used as marker around which the whole camp is organized.

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