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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The Mile of Vagnas is a Roman vestige of the 2nd century, located on the "Antonine" road between Alba-la-Roman and Nîmes. Under Emperor Antonin the Pious and completed in 145, this strategic route linked major cities like Alba, then a major urban centre. The terminal, engraved with number XXXI, indicates the 31st mile (about 46 km) from Alba. Its original location near the Monastier remains uncertain, but its displacement in the 18th century, when the current road was built, is likely. The presence of a cross added in 1717 avoided its re-use, a common practice for ancient stones.

The boundary is distinguished by its double temporality: a Roman limestone base and a stone cross from the first quarter of the 18th century. Its designation as historic monuments in 1974 underscores its heritage importance. Although the exact route of the Antonine track to Vagnas is not established, topographical indices, such as the ruins of the Monastier accessible by a nearby road, suggest its passage nearby. Today, located at the intersection of RN 579 and chemin de la Rochette, it belongs to the commune and bears witness to both Roman engineering and later local Christian practices.

This pillar also illustrates landscape changes: initially an imperial road marker, it became a religious symbol after 1717, and then a protected heritage object. Its state of conservation and its approximate location (noted 5/10 precisely) reflect the challenges of preserving ancient remains in rural areas. Sources, such as the Corpus Inscription Latinarum (CIL 17-02, 00201), confirm its authenticity, while modern tools, such as the Digital Atlas of the Roman Empire, help to contextualize its role in the Galloroma old age network.

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