Construction of oppidum IIᵉ siècle av. J.-C. (≈ 100 av. J.-C.)
Estimated construction period of the site.
29 septembre 1958
Historical Monument
Historical Monument 29 septembre 1958 (≈ 1958)
Order to protect the remains.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
Costebelle Oppidum (former) (Box H 509p, 510p, 512p, 515p): by order of 29 September 1958
Origin and history
Costebelle, located in the municipality of Hyères in the Var, is an archaeological site dating from the 2nd century B.C.E. This monument, classified by ministerial decree on 29 September 1958, illustrates the strategic importance of oppidas during the Protohistory. Its location, on the heights of the present city, suggests a defensive role and occupation related to the Mediterranean exchanges of the time.
The vestiges of Costebelle's loppidum extend over several cadastral plots (H 509p, 510p, 512p, 515p), mixing communal and private property. Although its exact location is considered "passable" (note 5/10) in the databases, its approximate address is set to 585 Boulevard Felix Descroix. The site, not explicitly mentioned as open to the public, remains a key testimony of the social and economic dynamics of the Gallic Mediterranean peoples before Romanization.
The Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region, and especially the Var coast, was at that time a crossroads of influences between Celtic, Liguria and Greek cultures. Oppidas, such as Costebelle, served as places of refuge, territorial control and artisanal or commercial centres. Their gradual abandonment from the 1st century BC often coincided with the rise in power of Massalia (Marseille) and the Roman expansion into Nabronese Gaul.
