Timeline

Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The Oppidum de Nages, also known as the Oppidum des Castels, is located in the valley of the Vaunage, in the commune of Saint-Dionisy, in the immediate vicinity of Nages-et-Solorgues (Gard). This strategic site, occupied as early as Neolithic, became one of the seven Gallic oppidums of the region between 800 and 50 B.C., housing the tribe of the Arecomic Volcanoes. Its location allowed to control the Roman routes, including the Domitian connecting Italy with Spain.

The excavations carried out between 1958 and 1974 by Michel Py revealed four successive enclosures (290 B.C. to 10 A.D.), streets in checker, houses and a fanum destroyed by fire in the 1st century. This event marked the abandonment of the site for the benefit of Nemausus (Nîmes), a new Romanized capital. A brief reoccupation took place in the third century, with a fifth enclosure.

The Nages-et-Solorgues Municipal Museum, closed in 2023, housed the archaeological remains of the excavations for 48 years. Today, the site offers panoramic views of the surrounding villages, including Calvisson and Saint-Côme-et-Mauéjols, as well as of the adjacent opidum of Mauressip. The Roman Nîmes-Sommemières route and a restored bridge crossing the Rhôny recall its historic importance.

Archaeological research has confirmed a continuous occupation since Neolithic, with lithic tools discovered in 1958 by Maurice Aliger. The oppidum illustrates the transition between Gaulish civilization and Romanization, before its decline in favour of towns on the plain. Its classification as Historic Monument highlights its heritage value.

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