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Origin and history

Ambrussum is an archaeological site located in the commune of Villetelle (Hérault, Occitanie), between Nîmes and Montpellier. It consists of a Celtic oppidum founded in the fourth–third century BC, then a Gallo-Roman agglomeration developed after the Roman conquest (II century BC). The site also includes a road station along the Domitian Way and the famous Ambroix Bridge, painted by Gustave Courbet, crossing the Vidourle. Its name, of dark origin, could come from a pre-Indo-European substrate or link to the Ligures, called Ambrones in their language.

L-oppidum, surrounded by ramparts with quadrangular towers then rounded, bears witness to a continuous occupation since Neolithic (2600–2100 BC). Artifacts such as italics or Greek ceramics attest to early exchanges with the Mediterranean. In the Gallo-Roman era, the upper town houses a forum, domuses and public buildings, while the road station, organized into specialized islands (inns, forges, thermal baths), welcomes travellers and merchants along the Domitian way. The decline of the site began between the 2nd and 3rd centuries AD.

The Ambroix Bridge, an emblematic element of the site, was mentioned in the 17th century by local scholars such as Anne de Rulman. Modern excavations, initiated in 1967 by Jean-Luc Fiches and continued by Maxime Scrinzi, revealed remains ranging from Neolithic to Late Antiquity. The site, classified as a historical monument in 1974, now houses a museum and an archaeological route open to the public. Its definitive abandonment took place in the 5th century, although the Domitian way remained in use in the Middle Ages before being replaced by Camin Roumieu.

Archaeological discoveries include Gaulish coins struck at Ambrussum (bearing the AMBR inscription), silver cups located on ancient routes (such as those of Vicarello), and votive altars dedicated to Roman deities like Fortuna. The Gaulish necropolis, located in a flood zone, and the remains of trades (forge, mill) illustrate the daily life and economic activities of the site, marked by its strategic role between Cevennes and the Mediterranean.

The topography of Ambrussum, distributed between the hill of Devès (oppidum) and the plain of Vidourle (road station), reflects an urban organization adapted to the geographical constraints and floods of the river. The islands of the lower district, such as the hotels reserved for the public curriculum or the "house of charron", reveal a hierarchical society, where administrative, artisanal and agricultural functions coexist. The gradual abandonment of the site coincides with the decline of the Western Roman Empire and the disaffection of imperial road infrastructure.

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