Beneharnum Foundation Antiquité (≈ 212)
Roman city identified on the site.
1997
Site protection
Site protection 1997 (≈ 1997)
Registration by ministerial decree.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
Antique site (Cd. AL 545, 560, 561, 559, 562, 46): registration by order of 30 January 1997
Key figures
Information non disponible - No character cited
Sources do not mention any historical actors.
Origin and history
The ancient site of the Bialé, located in the lower town of Lescar (Pyrénées-Atlantiques), corresponds to the location of the Roman city of Beneharnum (or Benetarnum). This archaeological district, searched and studied, has uncovered a network of roads, sewers, house foundations and ditches. These discoveries offer a rare testimony of ancient urbanism in the south of Aquitaine, including the complete foreground of a Roman villa in the region.
The city of Beneharnum, mentioned in ancient sources, was an important urban centre during ancient times. The Bialé site is the historic heart of the site, with some preserved domestic and public structures. The remains, protected since 1997, now belong to private owners and an association, limiting their accessibility to the public.
The excavations revealed an urban organization typical of Gallo-Roman cities, with collective infrastructure (roadside, sanitation) and organized habitats. The site thus illustrates the romanization of this part of Gaul, integrated into the economic and administrative networks of the Empire. However, the accuracy of its location remains poor (level 5/10), according to available data.
