The most famous citizen of Narbo was the emperor Carus (282-283)
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| Unless otherwise indicated, pictures on this page © Marco Prins and Jona Lendering. Photos can be downloaded and used for non-commercial purposes, but you have to acknowledge Livius. | ||
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Narbo was founded in 118 BCE as a Roman colonia and the capital of a new province at the site of a river crossing: here, the Via Domitia (picture), which connected Italy and Hispania, crossed the river Arax (Aude). The name Narbo seems to be derived from a native town called Naro, on the Montlaurès hill. Julius Caesar refounded the city in 46/45 and resettled it with veterans of the Tenth legion. | |
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The river Aude was not the only watercourse. Another river connected Narbonne with a lagoon and the the Mediterranean sea. This watercourse ran dry in the Middle Ages, but in 1686, the French king Louis XIV ordered the dredging of the old river, which is now known as the Canale de la Robine. | |
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A Roman bridge across the Robine. | |
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Narbonne was an important trade center. Among the main products were ore, ceramics, wine, salt, and corn. Many inscriptions mention negotiatores or the members of the traders' collegia. This picture shows one of the warehouses (horrea) in the oldest Roman city in France. | |
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Another picture of the warehouses. In the background, amphorae are visible. | |
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The head of Atlas, exhibited in the warehouses. | |
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A picture with a scene from a bloody show in the amphitheater: a man
is devoured by a bear.
The most famous citizen of Narbo was the emperor Carus (282-283) |
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