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In the footsteps of the Romans (1)
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We will first visit the "oppidum" of Ensérune, near the Canal du Midi and the the “Villa” in Loupian with its famous and beautiful mosaics.
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Ensérune Oppidum This is one of the most important pre-Roman sites in Europe in terms of its scientific value, the number of articles found and the size of the site.
The visit to the site includes the remains, the museum and slide show. From the high point of the site, there is abeautiful panoramic view of the Montady lake, which was drained off in the XIII c. by canals linked to a central sump.
The oppidum of Ensérune is located between Béziers and Narbonne on a hill overhanging the ancient pond of Montady. The last Bronze Age and the first Iron Age (8th and 9th centuries B.C.) were the watersheds in the ways of living of the protohistoric populations from southern France.
The gathering and the establishment of people on vast and high sites known as oppida, followed semi-nomadism. This organisation in villages went together with the intensification of trade as soon as the end of the 7th century and then with more intensity with the sailors from the eastern country (the Etruscans and the Greeks) and the Iberian area. This phenomena went hand in hand with a much more structured organisation of the habitations and with the protection of belongings by permanent constructions and fortifications from the 5th century.
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The oppidum of Ensérune which has been occupied without any interruption from the 6th century B.C. to the beginning of the the first century A.C., originally gathered huts made of perishable materials arranged without any apparent order. It was restructured and fortified twice: during the intensification of trade in the 5th century and at the end of the 3rd century when the habitations covered the whole plateau and the village experienced its most important development. The success of the Gallo-Roman economic organisation in the first century B.C. led to the progressive desertion of the oppida in the south of France to the advantage of settlements in plains.
Bassin de Thau, Roman Villa, Loupian
In Roman times, the Bassin de Thau lay along the Roman Road linking Italy to Spain. More about the road below. Along this road, several villas were built. Originally, these villas were large farming enterprises with vineyards, olive groves, and a small harbour to export these products; plus facilities (forge, pottery, dairy, bakery, workers' quarters,... ) to keep the whole estate fed and in working condition; but over the centuries, the Loupian villa eventually developed into a major property where the wealthy owners' guests were entertained in lavish luxury. One sign of this luxury is the decoration of the floors in multi-coloured mosaic.
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