Planned construction period Antiquité (≈ 212)
Destined to a Gallic building never finished.
1951
Discovery of blocks
Discovery of blocks 1951 (≈ 1951)
Found in the Gulf of Saint-Tropez.
1968
Transfer to Fréjus
Transfer to Fréjus 1968 (≈ 1968)
Permanent installation after shipwreck.
16 avril 1969
Official protection
Official protection 16 avril 1969 (≈ 1969)
Registration as a Historic Monument.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
Ancient marble blocks constituting a portal (Box BD 92): inscription by decree of 16 April 1969
Key figures
Information non disponible - No character cited
The source text does not mention any actors.
Origin and history
The ancient marble blocks constituting a portal, currently located in Fréjus (Var), are architectural elements intended for a building in the south of Gaul during antiquity. These columns, carved in Italy, were transported by sea before the ship sank into the Gulf of St. Tropez. Their discovery in 1951, almost 20 centuries after their loss, reveals the extent of trade and monumental Roman projects in Provence.
The shipwreck, which occurred during transport from Italy, preserved these drum and column bases until they were rediscovered by divers. Transferred to Fréjus in 1968, they were officially protected as a Historical Monument by order of 16 April 1969. Their state of conservation and their Italian origin illustrate the ancient maritime networks and the importance of the Gallic ports in the diffusion of luxury materials.
These remains, now exposed to the avenue de l'Agachon, offer a material testimony of Roman construction techniques and the hazards of the Mediterranean trade. Their current location, although distant from the shipwreck site, underscores their heritage value for the understanding of ancient urbanism in Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur.
