Roman Architecture in Provence

Abstract

This book provides a survey of the architecture and urbanism of Provence during the Roman era. Provence, or 'Gallia Narbonensis' as the Romans called it, was one of the earliest Roman colonies in Western Europe. In this book, James C. Anderson, jr. examines the layout and planning of towns in the region, both those founded by the Romans and those redeveloped from native settlements. He provides an in-depth study of the chronology, dating and remains of every type of Roman building for which there is evidence in Provence. The stamp of Roman civilization is apparent today in such cities as Orange, Nimes and Arles, where spectacular remains of bridges, theaters, fora and temples attest to the sophisticated civilization that existed in this area during the imperial period and late antiquity. This book focuses on the remains of buildings that can still be seen, exploring decorative elements and their influence from Rome and local traditions, as well as their functions within the urban environment.

Before and After Rome: The Incised Contours Technique in the Art of Gallia Narbonensis

“…With the Roman conquest, Narbonensis saw the introduction of new building types, such as amphitheaters, aqueducts, honorific monuments, and Italic-style temples (Bromwich 1993;Woolf 2000;Anderson 2013). These new monuments served, among other things, as permanent markers of the Roman conquest in the landscape.…”

“…However, in those monuments the effect is much less pronounced than in the Gallic cases I discuss. 4 General introductions to the art and architecture of Gaul, Espérandieu 1907Espérandieu -1966Varagnac, Fabre, and Belzeaux 1964;Duval 1977;Bromwich 1993;Anderson 2013;Kruta 2015. 5 The stoic philosopher Posidonius appears to have visited the area and likely served as the source for later authors.…”