Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Gaujac oppidum, occupied from the Iron Age, was probably linked to the Celtic people of the Samnagnens, quoted by Pliny the Elder. This strategic site, known since the beginning of the 20th century, has revealed considerable remains, including a thermal complex built in the 1st century on the third terrace of the ppodum. The excavations, initiated in 1974 by Jean Charmasson and Dominique Cannaud, revealed two states of construction of the thermal baths, reflecting their adaptation to hydraulic needs and social uses.

The thermal baths, originally built around 20 AD, included a changing room (apodyterium), a warm room (tepidarium) and a warm room (caldarium) with a hypocaust heating system. The absence of water led to a major redevelopment between 90 and 100 BC, with the addition of an 80 m3 tank and thermal basins. These changes transformed the palester into a service yard and added a new palester lined with porticoes, illustrating the evolution of Roman seaside practices.

Around 210-220 earthquakes damaged the thermal baths, resulting in partial abandonment. The north part, preserved, was converted into a sanctuary dedicated to Fortuna, integrating a statue of the goddess in the cistern transformed into cella. This place of worship, supplemented by an altar and spaces for offerings, bears witness to the religious dimension of the oppidum. The site was finally abandoned in the middle of the third century, marking the end of its occupation.

The systematic excavations carried out by the Society for the Study of Ancient Civilizations of the Lower Rhone Valley (SECABR) between 1975 and 1998 documented these transformations. The thermal baths, registered as a Historical Monument in 1974, offer a rare example of architectural and cultural adaptation between the pre-Roman and Gallo-Roman eras. The publications of Jean Charmasson, the main searcher, remain references for the study of this emblematic site of the Gard.

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