Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The pens of the Madrague, located in Saint-Cyr-sur-Mer in the Var, is an archaeological site dating from the 1st and 2nd centuries AD. It corresponds to the ruins of an ancient Roman city, presumed to be Taurontum, mentioned in ancient sources. The site was partially explored since the reign of Louis XIV, but systematic excavations started only in the 1920s, under the direction of archaeologist Antoine Charras. This research has revealed significant remains, including a maritime villa (Villa Maritima), demonstrating the importance of the site during the Gallo-Roman period.

The site was classified as historic monuments by order of 15 June 1926, thereby recognizing its heritage value. In 1966, a Gallo-Roman museum, the Tauroentum Museum, was inaugurated on site to exhibit archaeological discoveries and enhance this heritage. Today, the enclosure includes the ruins of the ancient city and remains a key place to understand the Roman occupation in Provence. The site is managed jointly by private owners and an association, although its accessibility to the public is not clearly documented.

The remains of the Madrague enclosures illustrate the urban planning and way of life of the Roman elites in Narbonnaise Gaul. Villa Maritima, typical of the coastal residences of the Roman aristocracy, suggests an occupation related to maritime trade and agriculture (wine, olive trees). The region, which had been integrated into the Roman Empire since the 2nd century BC, enjoyed economic prosperity, as evidenced by the numerous archaeological sites nearby. The preservation of this monument offers valuable insight into this pivotal period between Antiquity and the Middle Ages in Provence.

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