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Origin and history

The Gallo-Roman theatre of Mandeur, dated from the first century, is contemporary of the Colosseum of Rome. It was erected in the ancient city of Epomanduodurum (present-day Mandeur), within a vast cultural complex of ten hectares, including a sanctuary. Its gradual abandonment from the fourth century accompanied the re-use of its materials for fortifications of the lower empire. Identified in the 17th century by Schickhardt, it was not systematically searched until 1819, and then 1946, revealing a three-phase construction, possibly a replacement for an arena.

Ranked a historic monument in 1964 and protected since 1912, this theatre is exceptional in its dimensions: 150 meters in diameter for 15,000 to 18,000 places. Behind a hill, it combines masonry structures and natural rock. Recent excavations confirmed the existence of a 30-metre diametrical façade, decorated with arcades in large apparatus, divided into three parts (two symmetrical wings of nine arcades and a full centre). The stands, spread over four floors (maenianum), housed staircases, corridors, lodges and technical spaces, while the stage included a semicircular limestone orchestra.

The architecture follows the "classic" Roman model, with a decoration on 360 meters of facades: Corinthian columns, pilasters, smooth entanglements and modillon cornices. An adjacent building, connected by a 50-metre gallery, suggests monumental use, reinforced by fragments of columns and offerings. Today, in a remarkable state of conservation, the site is accessible to the public, although still missing educational support. A project for the reception pavilion and archaeological garden is under way to enhance this heritage.

The theatre illustrates the importance of Epomanduodurum in the Gallo-Roman urban organization, around which secondary buildings were lined. Its abandonment reflects the transformations of the late Empire, marked by the decline of public buildings and the reuse of their materials. Archaeological research, particularly those published in Gallia (2007), highlights its central role in the region, between Avenches and Besançon, at the heart of the cultural and commercial exchanges of the Jura Arc.

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