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The Domitian Way (Via Domitia) is a Roman road built from 118 B.C. under the impulse of the proconsul Cneus Domitius Ahenobarbus, to connect Italy to the Iberian peninsula by crossing the Nabornaise Gaul. The aim of this project was to facilitate communication with Rome, the movement of troops, and to strengthen the coherence of the road network between the Italian and Hispanian roads, where the Romans were already established. The path also stimulated the local economy through exchanges between the cities it linked, becoming a major axis for merchants and legions.

The route of Via Domitia, 780 kilometres long, is documented by ancient sources such as the Vicarello cups, the Puisinger's table and Antonin's itinerary. He crossed the Alps at the Montgenèvre pass, followed the Durance valley, crossed the Rhône at Beaucaire, and went along the Mediterranean coast to Spain. In Mèze, the route served as a roadblock, as evidenced by the archaeological remains exhumed in the area, including a well-preserved section discovered in 2022 in Loupian. The 18-metre-wide section consisted of a 6-metre-long central carriageway reserved for priority convoys.

The Domitian track was punctuated with miles, indicating the distances between the cities, and crossed the towns through monumental gates, such as at Nîmes or Glanum. After the fall of the Roman Empire, some sections remained in use in the Middle Ages, integrated into routes such as the Strata francesa. In Mèze, the route marked a strategic point between Montpellier and the Pyrenees, linking major Roman cities such as Narbonne and Béziers.

The construction of the track was based on advanced techniques for the time: as straight a line as possible, stratified layers of gravel and pebbles, and paving in urban areas. Its heritage persists in the local toponymy (e.g. " avenue de la Voie Domitienne" in Montpellier) and in the protection of certain remains, such as sections classified as Historic Monuments in Mèze, Castelnau-de-Guers, and Pinet.

The Domitian way also enters into Latin literary history, evoked by Cicero in Pro Fonteio (74 B.C.), where he defends Marcus Fonteius, accused of hijackings related to his interview. This text highlights its public importance and the political stakes of its maintenance. Today, archaeological excavations, such as those carried out by INRAP, continue to reveal its route and role in the ancient territorial organization.

Some sections, such as that of Mèze, have been officially protected under the Historic Monuments since 1995. These remains illustrate Roman engineering and their integration into modern landscapes, where current roads (A9, N100) sometimes follow its original route. The path remains a symbol of ancient heritage, studied for its impact on urban planning and exchanges in Occitanie.

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