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Origin and history

The mile terminal of Gréolières is a 1.25 m high stone column with a diameter of 0.40 m, engraved in honor of Emperor Caracalla. Its Latin inscription, dated 213, indicates that it marks the 11th mile of a section of Roman way restored during its reign. The pillar carries imperial titles like Parthicus maximus and Britannicus maximus, highlighting the conquests of Caracalla. She also mentioned Iulio Honrato, the august procurator responsible for the works.

Originally, this terminal was probably installed on the old Haut-Gréolières road, sometimes called Via Vintiana by 19th-century authors such as Jules-René Bourguignat. Displaced in 1810 in front of the chapel of Sainte-Anne, it was Christianized by serving as a barrel at an iron cross, bringing its total height to 3.15 m. A second Gallo-Roman pillar, fragmentary, remains near the chapel Notre-Dame de Verdelay on the same municipality.

Ranked a historical monument in 1935, this terminal illustrates Roman road engineering in Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur. Its inscription, partially abbreviated, was reconstructed by the epigraphists to reveal its context of road restoration. The boundary remains the property of the commune of Gréolières, in the Alpes-Maritimes, and bears witness to the ancient heritage in this mountainous region.

Milestones, like that of Gréolières, served as both kilometric and imperial propaganda, displaying Rome's power and achievements. Their medieval or modern re-use, here in support of the cross, shows their gradual integration into the local landscape and their adaptation to new beliefs.

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