Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Roman ruins of Nerac correspond to the remains of a Gallo-Roman villa discovered in the park of the Garenne, near the castle of the city. This archaeological site, which was excavated in 1832, reveals remains mainly dating from the fourth and fifth centuries, including mosaics and a thermal building rebuilt at the end of the fourth century. The initial excavations, led by Maximilien Théodore Chrétin, were marked by a polemic: in 1833 he was accused of making fakes, including bas-reliefs and inscriptions sold to the Société archéologique de Toulouse. After a trial in 1835, the excavations were abandoned and the remains covered, ending this first campaign.

Research resumed in the 20th century, particularly in 1966 and 1970, during work on the Nazareth road. These new excavations allowed fragments of mosaics to be released 45 metres long, confirming an occupation of the site from the 1st to the 6th century. The mosaics, deposited at the town hall of Nerac between 1986 and 1988, attest to the importance of this villa, perhaps linked to a high dignitary or aristocrat. The site was classified as a historic monument in 1840, recognizing its heritage value despite past controversies.

The history of the ruins of Nerac illustrates the challenges of emerging archaeology in the 19th century, between authentic discoveries and falsifications. The mosaics and thermal baths, central elements of the site, reflect the luxury of late Roman villas in Aquitaine. Their study makes it possible to better understand the evolution of local elites between late antiquity and the beginning of the Middle Ages, in a region marked by Romanization and then the political transformations of the 5th and 6th centuries.

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