The Via Domitia was the first

Roman road Roman roads ( la, viae Romanae ; singular: ; meaning "Roman way") were physical infrastructure vital to the maintenance and development of the Roman state, and were built from about 300 BC through the expansion and consolidation of the Roman Re ...

built in

Gaul Gaul ( la, Gallia) was a region of Western Europe first described by the Romans. It was inhabited by Celtic and Aquitani tribes, encompassing present-day France, Belgium, Luxembourg, most of Switzerland, parts of Northern Italy (only during ...

, to link

Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical ...

and

Hispania Hispania ( la, Hispānia , ; nearly identically pronounced in Spanish, Portuguese, Catalan, and Italian) was the Roman name for the Iberian Peninsula and its provinces. Under the Roman Republic, Hispania was divided into two provinces: Hi ...

through

Gallia Narbonensis Gallia Narbonensis (Latin for "Gaul of Narbonne", from its chief settlement) was a Roman province located in what is now Languedoc and Provence, in Southern France. It was also known as Provincia Nostra ("Our Province"), because it was th ...

, across what is now

Southern France Southern France, also known as the South of France or colloquially in French as , is a defined geographical area consisting of the regions of France that border the Atlantic Ocean south of the Marais Poitevin,Louis Papy, ''Le midi atlantique'', A ...

. The route that the Romans regularised and paved was ancient when they set out to survey it, and traces the mythic route travelled by

Heracles Heracles ( ; grc-gre, Ἡρακλῆς, , glory/fame of Hera), born Alcaeus (, ''Alkaios'') or Alcides (, ''Alkeidēs''), was a divine hero in Greek mythology, the son of Zeus and Alcmene, and the foster son of Amphitryon.By his adoptiv ...

. The construction of the road was commissioned by Gnaeus Domitius Ahenobarbus, whose name it bore, following the defeat of the

Allobroges The Allobroges (Gaulish: *''Allobrogis'', 'foreigner, exiled'; grc, Ἀλλοβρίγων, Ἀλλόβριγες) were a Gallic people dwelling in a large territory between the Rhône river and the Alps during the Iron Age and the Roman period. ...

and Averni by himself and

Quintus Fabius Maximus Allobrogicus Quintus Fabius Maximus Allobrogicus, was a Roman statesman and general who was elected consul in 121 BC. During his consulship he fought against the Arverni and the Allobroges whom he defeated in 120 BC. He was awarded a triumph and the agnomen A ...

in 122 BCE. Domitius also established a fortified garrison at Narbo (modern

Narbonne Narbonne (, also , ; oc, Narbona ; la, Narbo ; Late Latin:) is a commune in Southern France in the Occitanie region. It lies from Paris in the Aude department, of which it is a sub-prefecture. It is located about from the shores of the ...

) on the coast, near Hispania, to guard construction of the road. It soon developed into a full Roman colony ''Colonia Narbo Martius''. The lands on the western part of the route, beyond the River Rhône had been under the control of the Averni who, according to Strabo, had stretched their control to Narbo and the Pyrenees. Crossing the Alps by the easiest passage, the

Col de Montgenèvre The Col de Montgenèvre (; elevation 1860 m.) is a high mountain pass in the Cottian Alps, in France 2 kilometres away from Italy. Description The pass takes its name from the village Montgenèvre (Hautes-Alpes), which lies in the vicinity ...

(1850 m), the Via Domitia followed the valley of the

Durance The Durance (; ''Durença'' in the Occitan classical norm or ''Durènço'' in the Mistralian norm) is a major river in Southeastern France. A left tributary of the Rhône, it is long. Its drainage basin is .Rhône The Rhône ( , ; wae, Rotten ; frp, Rôno ; oc, Ròse ) is a major river in France and Switzerland, rising in the Alps and flowing west and south through Lake Geneva and southeastern France before discharging into the Mediterranean Sea. At Ar ...

at Beaucaire passed through

Nîmes Nîmes ( , ; oc, Nimes ; Latin: ''Nemausus'') is the prefecture of the Gard department in the Occitanie region of Southern France. Located between the Mediterranean Sea and Cévennes, the commune of Nîmes has an estimated population of ...

(Nemausus) then followed the coastal plain along the Gulf of Lion. At Narbonne, it met the

Via Aquitania The ''Via Aquitania'' was a Roman road created in 118 BC in the Roman province of Gaul. It started at Narbonne, where it connected to the ''Via Domitia''. It then went toward the Atlantic Ocean, via Toulouse and Bordeaux, covering approximately . ...

(which led toward the

Atlantic Ocean The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the " Old World" of Africa, Europe ...

through

Toulouse Toulouse ( , ; oc, Tolosa ) is the prefecture of the French department of Haute-Garonne and of the larger region of Occitania. The city is on the banks of the River Garonne, from the Mediterranean Sea, from the Atlantic Ocean and fr ...

and

Bordeaux Bordeaux ( , ; Gascon oc, Bordèu ; eu, Bordele; it, Bordò; es, Burdeos) is a port city on the river Garonne in the Gironde department, Southwestern France. It is the capital of the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, as well as the prefectu ...

). Thus Narbonne was a crucial strategic crossroads of the Via Domitia and the Via Aquitania, and it was an accessible, but easily defensible port at that time. This "cusp point" in the Roman westwards expansion and ensuing supply, communication and fortification was a very important asset, and was treated as such (see

). In between the cities that it linked, the Via Domitia was provided with a series of ''

mansio In the Roman Empire, a ''mansio'' (from the Latin word ''mansus,'' the perfect passive participle of ''manere'' "to remain" or "to stay") was an official stopping place on a Roman road, or ''via'', maintained by the central government for the use ...

nes'' at distances of a

day's journey A day's journey in pre-modern literature, including the Bible, ancient geographers and ethnographers such as Herodotus, is a measurement of distance. In the Bible, it is not as precisely defined as other Biblical measurements of distance; the dis ...

for a loaded cart, at which shelter, provender and fresh horses could be obtained for travellers on official business. The route as it was in

Late Antiquity Late antiquity is the time of transition from classical antiquity to the Middle Ages, generally spanning the 3rd–7th century in Europe and adjacent areas bordering the Mediterranean Basin. The popularization of this periodization in English h ...

is represented in schematic fashion on the ''

Tabula Peutingeriana ' (Latin for "The Peutinger Map"), also referred to as Peutinger's Tabula or Peutinger Table, is an illustrated ' (ancient Roman road map) showing the layout of the '' cursus publicus'', the road network of the Roman Empire. The map is a 13th-ce ...

''.

Route

This route can be traced on topographical maps overprinted with the ancient route, in G. Castellve, J.-B. Compsa, J. Kotarba and A. Pezin, eds. ''Voies romaines du Rhône à l'Èbre: Via Domitia et Via Augusta'' (''DAF'' 61) Paris 1997. *

Briançon Briançon (, ) is the sole subprefecture of the Hautes-Alpes department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in Southeastern France. It is the highest city in France at an altitude of , based on the national definition as a community cont ...

('' Brigantio'') *

Chorges Chorges (; Vivaro-Alpine: ''Chorge'') is a commune in the Hautes-Alpes department in southeastern France. It is close to Gap. The name ''Chorges'' derives from Latin ''Catorimagus'', itself coming from the Alpine tribe of the Caturiges in th ...

('' Caturigomagus'') * Gap ('' Vapincum'') * Le Monetier Allemont ('' Alabons'') * Embrun ('' Eburodunum'') *

Sisteron Sisteron (; , oc, label=Mistralian norm, Sisteroun; from oc, label= Old Occitan, Sestaron) is a commune in the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence department, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, southeastern France. Sisteron is situated on the banks of the rive ...

('' Segustero'') *

Lurs Lurs () are an Iranian people living in the mountains of western Iran. The four Luri branches are the Bakhtiari, Mamasani, Kohgiluyeh and Lur proper, who are principally linked by the Luri language. Lorestan Province is named after the Lur ...

('' Alaunium'') *

Céreste Céreste (; Occitan: ''Ceirèsta'') is a commune in the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence department in southeastern France. It is known for its rich fossil beds in fine layers of "Calcaire de Campagne Calavon" limestone, which are now protected by the ...

('' Catuiacia'') *

Apt Apt. is an abbreviation for apartment. Apt may also refer to: Places * Apt Cathedral, a former cathedral, and national monument of France, in the town of Apt in Provence * Apt, Vaucluse, a commune of the Vaucluse département of France * A ...

('' Apta Julia'') * Notre Dame des Lumières (''Ad Fines'') *

Cavaillon Cavaillon (; Provençal: ''Cavalhon'') is a commune in the Vaucluse department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region of Southeastern France.Cabellio'') *

Saint-Rémy-de-Provence Saint-Rémy-de-Provence (; Provençal Occitan: ''Sant Romieg de Provença'' in classical and ''Sant Roumié de Prouvènço'' in Mistralian norms) is a commune in the Bouches-du-Rhône department, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, Southern France. L ...

(''

Glanum Glanum (Hellenistic ''Γλανόν'', as well as Glano, Calum, Clano, Clanum, Glanu, Glano) was an ancient and wealthy city which still enjoys a magnificent setting below a gorge on the flanks of the Alpilles mountains. It is located about one kil ...

'') * Saint-Gabriel ('' Ernaginum'') * Beaucaire ('' Ugernum'') *

(''

Nemausus Deus Nemausus is often said to have been the Celtic patron god of Nemausus (Nîmes). The god does not seem to have been worshipped outside this locality. The city certainly derives its name from Nemausus, which was perhaps the sacred wood in which ...

'') * ''

Ambrussum Ambrussum (, ; ) is a Roman archaeological site in Villetelle, Occitania, Southern France. It is close to the modern town Lunel, between Nîmes and Montpellier. Ambrussum is notable for its museum, its staging post on the Via Domitia, its bridg ...

'' *

Lunel-Vieil Lunel-Viel (; oc, Lunèl Vièlh, literally: "old Lunel") is a commune in the Hérault department in southern France. Lunel-Viel station has rail connections to Narbonne, Montpellier and Avignon. Population See also *Communes of the Hér ...

Castelnau-le-Lez Castelnau-le-Lez (; oc, Castèlnòu de Les) is a commune in the Hérault department in the Occitanie region of Southern France. Located on the outskirts of Montpellier, it is situated around 3 km (1.8 mi) north of the city centre. In 2 ...

('' Sextantio'') *

Montpellier Montpellier (, , ; oc, Montpelhièr ) is a city in southern France near the Mediterranean Sea. One of the largest urban centres in the region of Occitania, Montpellier is the prefecture of the department of Hérault. In 2018, 290,053 people l ...

''route remains unknown'' *

Montbazin Montbazin (; oc, Montbasin) is a commune in the Hérault department in the Occitanie region in southern France. It is part of the Agglomeration of Sete. In Roman times it was an important stopover on the road from Narbonne to Rome. Popul ...

('' Forum Domitii'') *

Mèze Mèze (; oc, Mesa; phn, Mansa) is a commune in the Hérault department in southern France. Its inhabitants are called ''Mézois''. Geography Situated on the étang de Thau, Mèze shares with Bouzigues its historic role as the oyster capita ...

* Pinet *

Saint-Thibéry Saint-Thibéry (; oc, Sant Tibèri) is a commune in the Hérault ''département'' in the Occitanie region in southern France. The village of Saint-Thibéry is built at the confluence of the Rivers Thongue and Hérault. The old Roman road "V ...

('' Cessero'') and its Roman bridge *

Béziers Béziers (; oc, Besièrs) is a subprefecture of the Hérault department in the Occitanie region of Southern France. Every August Béziers hosts the famous ''Feria de Béziers'', which is centred on bullfighting. A million visitors are attra ...

('' Baeterris'') *

(''

Narbo Martius Narbonne (, also , ; oc, Narbona ; la, Narbo ; Late Latin:) is a commune in Southern France in the Occitanie region. It lies from Paris in the Aude department, of which it is a sub-prefecture. It is located about from the shores of the Me ...

'') At Narbonne, a section of the Via Domitia is exposed in the Place de l'Hôtel de Ville. The Via Domitia crossed the Atax (the

Aude Aude (; ) is a department in Southern France, located in the Occitanie region and named after the river Aude. The departmental council also calls it " Cathar Country" (French: ''Pays cathare'') after a group of religious dissidents active ...

) by a seven-arched bridge at the site of the Pont des Marchands.Narbonne: Remains of the Domitian Way
*

Fitou Fitou (; oc, Fitor) is a commune in the Aude department in southern France. Population Wine Fitou has a red wine appellation; see Fitou AOC. See also * Corbières AOC * Communes of the Aude department The following is a list of the 433 ...

('' Ad Viscensimum'') * Salses ('' Ad Salsulae'') *

Perpignan Perpignan (, , ; ca, Perpinyà ; es, Perpiñán ; it, Perpignano ) is the prefecture of the Pyrénées-Orientales department in southern France, in the heart of the plain of Roussillon, at the foot of the Pyrenees a few kilometres from the ...

* Ruscino ''At Ruscino, the road separates in two: the Inland Route and the Coastal Route, which rejoin at

La Junquera La Jonquera () is a municipality in the ''comarca'' of l'Alt Empordà, in Catalonia, Spain. It is situated next to the border with Northern Catalonia, nowadays France, opposite the municipality of Le Perthus. History The area has always been ...

. '' Coastal Route *

Elne Elne (; ca, Elna ) is a commune in the Pyrénées-Orientales department in southern France. It lies in the former province of Roussillon, of which it was the first capital, being later replaced by Perpignan. Its inhabitants are still called ...

(''Illiberis'') * Saint-Cyprien * Argelès *

Collioure Collioure (; ca, Cotlliure, ) is a commune in the southern French department of Pyrénées-Orientales. Geography The town of Collioure is on the Côte Vermeille (Vermilion Coast), in the canton of La Côte Vermeille and in the arrondissement ...

Port-Vendres Port-Vendres (; ca, Portvendres) is a commune in the Pyrénées-Orientales department, southwestern France. A typical Mediterranean fishing port, situated near the Spanish border on the Côte Vermeille in southwestern France, Port-Vendres is r ...

('' Portus Veneris'') *

Banyuls Banyuls-sur-Mer (; ) is a commune in the Pyrénées-Orientales department in southern France. It was first settled by Greeks starting in 400 BCE. Geography Location Banyuls-sur-Mer is located in the canton of La Côte Vermeille and in the ar ...

Inland Route * Montescot * Le Boulou *

Les Cluses Les Cluses () is a commune in the Pyrénées-Orientales department in southern France. Geography Localisation Les Cluses is located in the canton of Vallespir-Albères and in the arrondissement of Céret. Population See also *Comm ...

('' Clausurae'') *

Le Perthus Le Perthus (, ca, El Pertús, ) is a commune in the Pyrénées-Orientales department in southern France. Natives of Le Pertus are called ''Perthusiens'' and, in 2016, there were 586 inhabitants. Le Perthus is also one of French territories on t ...

(''

Col de Panissars In geomorphology, a col is the lowest point on a mountain ridge between two peaks.Whittow, John (1984). ''Dictionary of Physical Geography''. London: Penguin, 1984, p. 103. . It may also be called a gap. Particularly rugged and forbidding col ...

''), at the Trophy of Pompey Rejoins at: *

('' Deciana'') Here the

Via Augusta The ''Via Augusta'' (also known as the ''Via Herculea'' or ''Via Exterior'') was the longest and busiest of the major roads built by the Romans in ancient Hispania (the Iberian Peninsula). According to historian Pierre Sillières, who has super ...

begins.

Roman bridges

There are the remains of several Roman bridges along the road, including the Roman Bridge of Saint-Thibéry, the

Pont Ambroix The Pont Ambroix or Pont d'Ambrussum ( French for ''Ambrussum Bridge'') was a 1st-century BC Roman bridge in the south of France which was part of the Via Domitia. It crossed the Vidourle at Ambrussum, between today's Gallargues-le-Montueux in ...

, the

Pont Julien The Pont Julien (French language, French for ''Julian Bridge'') is a Roman bridge, Roman stone arch bridge over the Calavon river, in the south-east of France, dating from 3 BC. The supporting columns are notable for openings to allow floodwater t ...

and the

Pont Serme The Pont Serme or Pons Selinus, later called the Pons Septimus, was a Roman bridge of the Via Domitia in Hérault, southern France. The approximately 1500 m long viaduct crossed the wide marshes of the Orb and the Etang de Capestang west of B ...

. File:St-Thibery-Pont-Romain1.JPG, St-Thibéry: Roman Bridge File:France map Lambert-93 topographic-ancient Roman roads.svg, Via Domitia in () File:Photos-0018.jpg, Via Domitia and

junction at the Trophy of Pompey File:Ambrussum voies marquées 10-04-2006.jpg, Chariot ruts in the Via Domitia File:Via Domitia (Narbonne).jpg, Narbonne: Via Domitia uncovered in front of the Archbishop's palace File:Pinet via Domitia.jpg, The Via Domitia in

Pinet, Hérault Pinet () is a commune in the Hérault department in the Occitanie region in southern France. Population Economy AOP Picpoul de Pinet is the only white wine appellation in the Languedoc. Vineyards are situated on the low hills surrounding ...

Notes

Bibliography

* Raymond Chevalier, ''Les Voies Romaines'', Picard, Paris, 1997. * Pierre A. Clement and Alain Peyre, ''La Voie Domitienne: De la Via Domitia aux routes de l'an 2000'', Presses du Languedoc/Max Chaleil Editeur, 1992. * Pierre A. Clement, ''La Via Domitia: Des Pyrénées aux Alpes'', Editions Ouest-France, Rennes, 2005.

External links

"Suivez la Via Domitia" DVD 60 mins. English - French - German

Luberon News - Via Domitia

St Thibery - Via Domitia
{{List of Roman roads Transport infrastructure completed in the 2nd century BC Domitia, Via History of Narbonne 110s BC establishments 2nd-century BC establishments in the Roman Republic Gallia Narbonensis