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Gallo-Roman Ruins of Bavay dans le Nord

Patrimoine classé
Vestiges Gallo-romain
Ruines gallo-romaines
Nord

Gallo-Roman Ruins of Bavay

    34-38 Rue des Remparts
    59570 Bavay
Ruines gallo-romaines de Bavay
Ruines gallo-romaines de Bavay
Ruines gallo-romaines de Bavay
Ruines gallo-romaines de Bavay
Ruines gallo-romaines de Bavay
Ruines gallo-romaines de Bavay
Ruines gallo-romaines de Bavay
Ruines gallo-romaines de Bavay
Ruines gallo-romaines de Bavay
Ruines gallo-romaines de Bavay
Ruines gallo-romaines de Bavay
Ruines gallo-romaines de Bavay
Ruines gallo-romaines de Bavay
Ruines gallo-romaines de Bavay
Ruines gallo-romaines de Bavay
Ruines gallo-romaines de Bavay
Ruines gallo-romaines de Bavay
Ruines gallo-romaines de Bavay
Ruines gallo-romaines de Bavay
Ruines gallo-romaines de Bavay
Ruines gallo-romaines de Bavay
Ruines gallo-romaines de Bavay
Ruines gallo-romaines de Bavay
Ruines gallo-romaines de Bavay
Ruines gallo-romaines de Bavay
Ruines gallo-romaines de Bavay
Ruines gallo-romaines de Bavay
Ruines gallo-romaines de Bavay
Ruines gallo-romaines de Bavay
Ruines gallo-romaines de Bavay
Ruines gallo-romaines de Bavay
Ruines gallo-romaines de Bavay
Ruines gallo-romaines de Bavay
Ruines gallo-romaines de Bavay
Ruines gallo-romaines de Bavay
Ruines gallo-romaines de Bavay
Ruines gallo-romaines de Bavay
Ruines gallo-romaines de Bavay
Ruines gallo-romaines de Bavay
Ruines gallo-romaines de Bavay
Ruines gallo-romaines de Bavay
Ruines gallo-romaines de Bavay
Ruines gallo-romaines de Bavay
Ruines gallo-romaines de Bavay
Ruines gallo-romaines de Bavay
Ruines gallo-romaines de Bavay
Ruines gallo-romaines de Bavay
Ruines gallo-romaines de Bavay
Ruines gallo-romaines de Bavay
Ruines gallo-romaines de Bavay
Ruines gallo-romaines de Bavay
Crédit photo : Jean-Pol GRANDMONT - Sous licence Creative Commons

Timeline

Âge du Fer
Antiquité
Haut Moyen Âge
Moyen Âge central
Bas Moyen Âge
Renaissance
Temps modernes
Révolution/Empire
XIXe siècle
Époque contemporaine
100 av. J.-C.
0
300
400
500
600
2000
4 av. J.-C.
Monument in honor of Tiberius
19-15 av. J.-C.
Bagacum Nerviorum Foundation
IIe-IIIe siècles
Germanic invasions
Fin IIIe siècle
First fortified enclosure
Début Ve siècle
Loss of status as capital city
2021
Historical Monument
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui

Heritage classified

In total, the ancient forum, located on 11 November place, on plots n°243, 429, 884 and 885 of the AC section of the cadastre, with all the soils and basements of these plots, as shown in blue on the plan annexed to the decree: classification by order of 1 February 2021

Key figures

Auguste - Roman Emperor Divided the Gaul, founded Bagacum.
Tibère - General then Emperor Its passage accelerated expansion.
Gallien - Roman Emperor Rebuked the Franks in 253-254.
Jean-Louis Boucly - History Date of foundation around 10-1 B.C.
Maurice Hénault - Archaeologist Discovered forum and baths in 1906.
Henri Bievelet - Archaeologist Foulina cryptoportiques (1942-1976).

Origin and history

Bagacum Nerviorum, today Bavay, was founded between 19 and 15 BC as the capital of Civitas Nerviorum, a Roman city integrated into the province of Belgium under Augustus. The city, served by eight major Roman routes, became a strategic crossroads between Seine and Rhine. Its development was rapid: as early as 4 BC, a memorial was erected on its forum to honour the passage of Tiberius, impulsing its urban expansion.

In the first century, Bavay extended over eight hectares, hosting intense artisanal activity. Potters from the Marne and Côte d'Or produced terra nigra, a black metallescent ceramic, while merchants and Roman military auxiliaries brought Eastern coins. The city reached forty hectares in the second century, before being subjected to the plunders of the Germanic peoples (Francs, Alamans) between the second and third centuries, leading to its progressive fortification.

The decline of Bavay began in the fourth century: reduced to 4-6 hectares behind its ramparts, it lost its status as capital for Cambrai around 400-450. Its forum, with a 150-metre cryptoportico and a 98-metre basilica (the largest in Gaul), bears witness to its ancient grandeur. The last traces of occupation date back to the years 430-450. The site, searched in 1906, reveals an urban plan in checker and thermal baths fed by an aqueduct of 20 km.

Ranked a Historic Monument in 2021, the ancient forum and its basements now belong to the Northern Department. The remains, including artisanal remains and Roman roads still visible, illustrate the importance of Bavay as the political, economic and military centre of Roman Gaul.

Future

The Bavay Ancient Forum, the archaeological museum of the Northern Department, is located in Bavay.

External links

Conditions of visit

  • Conditions de visite : Ouvert toute l'année
  • Période d'ouverture : Horaires, jours et tarifs sur le site du musée ci-dessus.