Argentomagus
Encyclopedia
The Roman
city of Argentomagus was located in the Mersans plateau of central France
, at the strategic point where a Roman bridge once traversed the River Creuse. The Latin name of the city meant "Silver Market." The modern town of Argenton
takes its name from the ancient site of Argentomagus.
tribe (their name meaning "kings of the world"). The Romans conquered the area circa 50 BCE. The city reached its peak during the Gallo-Roman period in the 2nd and 3rd century CE.
The cult of Mercury
was popular among the inhabitants, who were active in metal smelting and bronze-smithing. Other cult figures included the Earth Mother, Venus
, warrior heroes and various local deities.
settlement into a Roman town. Substantial areas of the ruins have been excavated, including an amphitheatre
, a Roman villa
, a cemetery, a thermal spring. Unique finds have also been recovered, such as a circular altar pedestal. A local museum related to the site exists in Mersans.
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
city of Argentomagus was located in the Mersans plateau of central France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, at the strategic point where a Roman bridge once traversed the River Creuse. The Latin name of the city meant "Silver Market." The modern town of Argenton
Argenton-sur-Creuse
Argenton-sur-Creuse is a commune in the Indre department in central France. It lies on the Creuse River, 19 m. SSW of Châteauroux, close to the A20 motorway.-History:...
takes its name from the ancient site of Argentomagus.
History
In pre-Roman and early-Roman occupation times, the site of Argentomagus was the home of the BiturigesBituriges
The Bituriges was a tribe with its capital at Bourges .Early in the 1st century BCE, they had been one of the main tribes, especially in terms of Druids and their political influence. But they soon declined in power as the Druids were an important target for Julius Caesar in his conquest of Gaul...
tribe (their name meaning "kings of the world"). The Romans conquered the area circa 50 BCE. The city reached its peak during the Gallo-Roman period in the 2nd and 3rd century CE.
The cult of Mercury
Mercury (mythology)
Mercury was a messenger who wore winged sandals, and a god of trade, the son of Maia Maiestas and Jupiter in Roman mythology. His name is related to the Latin word merx , mercari , and merces...
was popular among the inhabitants, who were active in metal smelting and bronze-smithing. Other cult figures included the Earth Mother, Venus
Venus (mythology)
Venus is a Roman goddess principally associated with love, beauty, sex,sexual seduction and fertility, who played a key role in many Roman religious festivals and myths...
, warrior heroes and various local deities.
Archaeological site and museum
The archaeological site is of prime interest as it shows how the town evolved from a GaulishGaul
Gaul was a region of Western Europe during the Iron Age and Roman era, encompassing present day France, Luxembourg and Belgium, most of Switzerland, the western part of Northern Italy, as well as the parts of the Netherlands and Germany on the left bank of the Rhine. The Gauls were the speakers of...
settlement into a Roman town. Substantial areas of the ruins have been excavated, including an amphitheatre
Amphitheatre
An amphitheatre is an open-air venue used for entertainment and performances.There are two similar, but distinct, types of structure for which the word "amphitheatre" is used: Ancient Roman amphitheatres were large central performance spaces surrounded by ascending seating, and were commonly used...
, a Roman villa
Roman villa
A Roman villa is a villa that was built or lived in during the Roman republic and the Roman Empire. A villa was originally a Roman country house built for the upper class...
, a cemetery, a thermal spring. Unique finds have also been recovered, such as a circular altar pedestal. A local museum related to the site exists in Mersans.
Sources
- "Argentomagus : Oppidum gaulois" by Françoise Dumasy-Mathieu
- "Argentomagus": by Gerard Coulon
- "Le théâtre d'Argentomagus" (Saint-Marcel, Indre): by Françoise Dumasy