Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

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.

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