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Origin and history

The Castellar, located on Mont Bastide in Èze (Alpes-Maritimes), is an ancient Celto-Ligure site. Discovered in 1851 by Dr. Naudot, it was mapped in 1852. Set at 568 m above sea level, it dominates the sea to the west and the pass to the east. The site, surrounded by three defensive systems (exterior enclosure, upper enclosure, lower bastion), also has cyclopean walls and a straight track along the ridge.

The excavations revealed traces of sporadic occupation since the final Neolithic and the Tena period, with a peak between 200 and 50 B.C. In the Roman era (Julio-Claudian period), L-oppidum houses vestiges of terraced houses and campanian furniture. The protohistoric ramparts, partially rebuilt in the second century, raise debates among archaeologists such as Pascal Arnaud, who questioned their purely defensive interpretation.

In 1996, the site was included in the historical monuments, combining military functions (protection of the Liguria territory) and pastoral functions (enclosure is interpreted as a breeding area). The tesses and structures visible today bear witness to its evolution, from the Ligures to the Romans, to partial reuse as an ancient rural village.

The research of Commander Octobon (1950-1970) and the publications of Dr. Naudot (1852) or the canon of Villeneuve (1905) documented his history. A mixed property (municipal and private), the oppidum illustrates the adaptation of Alpine-sea communities to the strategic and economic challenges of Mediterranean protohistory.

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