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Introduction The forum Houses and workshops Baths and water supply Gallo-Roman temples |
The precinct of temple II The mithraeum The amphitheatre Christianity Burials |
In 1995 part of a Gallo-Roman temple was excavated to the west of insula 15. It has been called Fanum I. It was entered via a staircase that was 7.60 m. wide and 2 m. deep. The facade must have been about 12.80 m. wide, the cella some 8 m. The temple was built in the late first century and used until the late fourth century. Amongst the finds were 2742 votive coins, some brooches, a bronze statuette of Priapus, and two bronze appliques of a couch: the heads of a horse and a goose. The statuette and the appliques have been dated to the first century BC, but do not belong to an older temple on this spot, traces of which were not found.
Reconstruction drawing of Fanum I. Wiblé 2008, fig. 226.
Top: bronze appliques of the heads of a horse and a goose, and a bronze statuette of Priapus. Photos: Wiblé 2008, figs. 229, 230, 369.
Bottom: reconstruction drawing of a couch of wood and bronze to which the two appliques must have belonged. Wiblé 2008, fig. 228.Some 60 meters to the north of Fanum I a few walls were excavated in 1993 and 2002-2003 that must have belonged to another Gallo-Roman temple, Fanum II. The sacred area, measuring 24 x 21 m., was bounded by a wall. The temple itself measured 9.50 x 9.00 m., with a cella of 3.80 x 3.30 m. Nothing of interest was found. There may have been a third Gallo-Roman temple to the west of the western corner of insula 6. It was partially excavated in 1938 and is known as Temple I (for the plan see the page "Baths and water supply").
A fourth Gallo-Roman temple was excavated in the south-west part of the settlement, Temple II. It was discovered in 1976 and can today be seen inside the Musée gallo-romain. The cella (7.60 x 6.60 m.) stood on a podium (16.00 x 12.85 m., 0.50 m. high), apparently without the usual porticus. The temple was built in the middle of the first century BC, not long before or after the battle in 57-56 BC. Around 200 AD the cella was rebuilt. The distribution of votive coins found in the cella suggests that they were thrown inside through a grate.
Temple II seen from the west during the excavations in 1976. Photo: Leveau-Wiblé 2014, fig. 5.In front of the temple a small platform was found. Nearby a cippus (an altar or a base?) with a dedication to Mercurius was discovered. It probably stood on a nearby masonry base. Amongst the votive objects that were found, such as brooches, were also a bronze rooster, an animal linked to Mercurius, and a bronze caduceus, the herald's staff of Mercurius. More than 1000 votive coins were found. The latest belong to the late fourth century (not later than 390 AD).
[Mer]CVRIO
OPTATVS CIN
TVSMONIS F(ilius)
V(otum) S(olvit) L(ibens) M(erito)To Mercurius.
Optatus,
son of Cintusmo,
fulfilled his vow gladly and deservedly.Limestone cippus. W. 0.55, h. 0.62, d. 0.21. Vallesia 33 (1978), 25 nr. 1. Photo: EDCS-09200332.
Introduction
The forum
Houses and workshops
Baths and water supply
Gallo-Roman templesThe precinct of temple II
The mithraeum
The amphitheatre
Christianity
Burials
[31-Jan-2024]
