Michel Auguste Martin Agénor Azéma de Montgravier (28 October 1805, in Béziers – 14 September 1863, in

Montpellier Montpellier (; ) is a city in southern France near the Mediterranean Sea. One of the largest urban centres in the region of Occitania (administrative region), Occitania, Montpellier is the prefecture of the Departments of France, department of ...

) was a French archaeologist and soldier.

Career

He was one of the most distinguished students at the ''

École Polytechnique (, ; also known as Polytechnique or l'X ) is a ''grande école'' located in Palaiseau, France. It specializes in science and engineering and is a founding member of the Polytechnic Institute of Paris. The school was founded in 1794 by mat ...

'' from 1825 to 1828, then started his military career in the artillery. Promoted to lieutenant in 1831, captain in 1837 and then '' Chef d'escadron'' (Major or Commandant) in 1850, he completed his military career as deputy director of the ''Ecole d'Artillerie de Montpellier'', to which he was appointed in 1859. Montgravier spent three periods in

Algeria Algeria, officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It is bordered to Algeria–Tunisia border, the northeast by Tunisia; to Algeria–Libya border, the east by Libya; to Alger ...

, from 1832 to 1834, from 1839 to 1845, and finally from 1846 to 1851. In the first two periods he acted as Officer for Arab affairs, and in the third period he started as assistant officer in the

Oran Oran () is a major coastal city located in the northwest of Algeria. It is considered the second most important city of Algeria, after the capital, Algiers, because of its population and commercial, industrial and cultural importance. It is w ...

bureau, becoming chief officer in 1849 and then moving on in 1850 to the advisory committee on Algeria at the Ministry of War.

Archaeology

He was passionate about antiques, and was one of the pioneers of Roman Archaeology in

North Africa North Africa (sometimes Northern Africa) is a region encompassing the northern portion of the African continent. There is no singularly accepted scope for the region. However, it is sometimes defined as stretching from the Atlantic shores of t ...

. In 1840, he was the first to identify Cherchell as the ancient Caesarea, the capital of

Mauretania Mauretania (; ) is the Latin name for a region in the ancient Maghreb. It extended from central present-day Algeria to the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, encompassing northern present-day Morocco, and from the Mediterranean Sea, Mediterranean in the ...

. He was an active member of the ''Société Historique Algérienne'', and copied and published many ancient stone inscriptions discovered during his missions. His contribution to North African Archaeology led to him being elected corresponding member of the ''

Académie des Inscriptions et Belles-Lettres The () is a French learned society devoted to history, founded in February 1663 as one of the five academies of the . The academy's scope was the study of ancient inscriptions (epigraphy) and historical literature (see Belles-lettres). History ...

'' on 27 December 1850. At the end of his life, he carried out excavations at the Roman ruins of Murviel-les-Montpellier on behalf of the ''Commission de la Carte des Gaules''. He was decorated with the

Legion of Honour The National Order of the Legion of Honour ( ), formerly the Imperial Order of the Legion of Honour (), is the highest and most prestigious French national order of merit, both military and Civil society, civil. Currently consisting of five cl ...

on 14 April 1844, and was created officer of the same order in 1862.

Publications

* ''Lettre sur les inscriptions trouvées à Orléansville et à Tenez'' (1843) * ''Observations sur les antiquités romaines de la province d'Oran et en particulier sur les ruines de Tiaret'' (1843) * ''Les Tumulus de Lachdar, province d'Oran'' (1844) * ''Études historiques pour servir au projet de colonisation d'une partie du territoire de la province d'Oran'' (1846) * ''Excursions archéologiques d’Oran à

Tlemcen Tlemcen (; ) is the second-largest city in northwestern Algeria after Oran and is the capital of Tlemcen Province. The city has developed leather, carpet, and textile industries, which it exports through the port of Rachgoun. It had a population of ...

'' (1847) * ''Mémoire sur l’occupation de la Mauritanie par les Romains'' (couronné par la 1^re médaille au concours de 1848 à l'Académie des Inscriptions) * ''Deux lettres au Président de la République'' (1849–1850) * ''Les Deux Paris ou 1848 et 1858. Chant lyrique'' (1858) * '' Murviel. Ruines d'un "oppidum" des Volces arécomiques'' (1863) en collaboration avec Adolphe Ricard * ''Notice biographique sur M^me de Tencin'' (s.d.).

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Azema de Montgravier, Michel-Auguste-Martin-Agenor École Polytechnique alumni Officers of the Legion of Honour French archaeologists Members of the Académie des Inscriptions et Belles-Lettres People from Béziers 1805 births 1863 deaths French people of colonial Algeria