Rome in the Pyrenees: Lugdunum and the Convenae from the first century B.C. to the seventh century A.D. (Routledge Monographs in Classical Studies)

Rome in the Pyrenees is a unique treatment in English of the archaeological and historical evidence for an important Roman town in Gaul, Lugdunum in the French Pyrenees, and for its surrounding people the Convenae. The book opens with the creation of the Convenae by Pompey the Great in the first century B.C. and runs down to the great Frankish siege in A.D. 585 and its aftermath. Now the town of Saint-Bertrand-de-Comminges, Lugdunum is one of the best-known Roman towns in Gaul, with a rich selection of monuments at the town itself and important remains in the countryside, such as the classic villa at Montmaurin or the votive altars, cinerary caskets and sarcophagi in the local marble. The book traces how the Convenae used their marble to help create their identity, invisible before Pompey but amongst the richest and most distinctive in Gaul by the second century A.D. Drawing on his own excavations at Saint-Bertrand and the extensive earlier and recent work there, Simon Esmonde Cleary combines a clear description of the buildings and monuments of Lugdunum and of its countryside with a discussion of what they can tell us about the impact of Rome on this remote corner of its empire. This book will be extremely valuable to ancient historians, classicists and students of Roman archaeology, and contains a guide to the visible Roman remains of the area. "Rome in the Pyrenees is a unique treatment in English of the archaeological and historical evidence for an important Roman town in Gaul, Lugdunum in the French Pyrenees, and for its surrounding people the Convenae. The book opens with the creation of the Convenae by Pompey the Great in the first century B.C. and runs down to the great Frankish siege in A.D. 585 and its aftermath." "Now the town of Saint-Bertrand-de-Comminges, Lugdunum is one of the best-known Roman towns in Gaul, with a rich selection of monuments at the town itself and important remains in the countryside, such as the classic villa at Montmaurin or the votive altars, cinerary caskets and sarcophagi in the local marble. The book traces how the Convenae used their marble to help create their identity, invisible before Pompey but amongst the richest and most distinctive in Gaul by the second century A.D." "Drawing on his own excavations at Saint-Bertrand and the extensive earlier and recent work there, Simon Esmonde Cleary combines a clear description of the buildings and monuments of Lugdunum and of its countryside with a discussion of what they can tell us about the impact of Rome on this remote corner of its empire." "This book will be extremely valuable to ancient historians, classicists and students of Roman archaeology, and contains a guide to the visible Roman remains of the area."--Jacket

Written by an acknowledged authority on this period and region, this is the first full-length book published in English on a Roman-Gallic town.

Drawing from the extensive excavation that he has carried out on the site for many years, Simon Esmonde-Cleary presents this historical and archaeological survey of the important Roman and medieval site of St Bertrand de Comminges, or Lugdunum Convenarum, which was a great meeting place of routes in antiquity and stretches along the Pyrenees in the Gascony region between the Mediterranean and the Atlantic.

Specifically including a chapter on visiting Comminges in the present day, a part of southern France that is a popular holiday destination, Rome in thePyrenees will be invaluable reading to students and scholars of Roman provincial studies and Roman urbanism.

Drawing from the extensive excavation that he has carried out on the site for many years, Simon Esmonde-Clearry, an acknowledged authority on this period and region, presents the first full-length book, published in English, on a Roman-Gallic town