Antiquity in the Cotentin began around -120 BCE, during which the Cotentin was part of the Celtic people of Unelles in Gaul. The failure of battles against the Roman army marked this Gallic period, which resulted in Gaul's submission to Rome.
This Gallo-Roman period was marked by the appropriation of Roman civilization by the Gauls, notably with the adoption of their rites and customs. The main witness to this era are the remains of Alauna, located in Valognes. Unfortunately, late antiquity was a dark period with great political instability which left few visible traces of this period.
Gaulish Period (from -120 to -52 BCE)
At that time, Cotentin was part of the territory of the Celtic people of Unelles, whose leader was named Viridovix. Gallic civilization was led by an aristocracy of peasant-warriors who governed their lands from camps located on the heights, fortified by an earthen rampart and a large moat. Today, the Monts Castre de Montebourg and Plessis-Lastelle are the only traces of these camps.
The countryside was largely cleared to accommodate agriculture and livestock, as well as farms, which were built of wood and cob and were protected by ditches.
Gallo-Roman Period (-52 to 180 CE)
With a pacified Gaul, reforms were then initiated by the Emperor Augustus. The territories are then organized and divided to allow their administration. The first large cities with capital status were born such as Cosedia/Constantia (Coutances) and Alauna (Valognes). Secondary agglomerations also multiplied from the year 50 AD.
They were intended for commercial and artisanal purposes, such as Montaigu-la-Brisette or ports such as Cherbourg and Portbail.
At the same time as the development of towns, cities and farms, a considerable road network was created, which made it possible to connect and facilitate trade in the territory.
The main Roman road across the Channel started from Cherbourg (Coriallo), passed through Valognes (Alauna), Coutances (Cosedia), Avranches (Ingena) and went to Rennes (Condate).
The construction of this important network required the completion of significant work to build bridges or fords to allow the crossing of rivers.
These roads were marked by stone mile markers.
The Sainte-Mère-Eglise milestone
These terminals, resembling cylindrical columns, indicated the distance in Roman miles (1 Roman mile = 1.482Km). The inscriptions on the markers always began with a dedication to the reigning emperor at the time the marker was built and ended with the distance from the marker to the next stage of the route. A single milestone was found in the territory of Unelles in Sainte-Mère-Eglise, it mentions the town of Crociatonum, an unknown city whose location remains mysterious to this day.
During this same period, large, richly decorated public monuments, such as thermal baths and theaters, were built, such as in Alauna (Valognes).
Alauna: Important Gallo-Roman town
This remarkable city flourished for 350 years, from the end of the 3st century BCE to the end of the 45rd century CE. At its peak, its surface area reached 3 hectares where 4000 to XNUMX inhabitants lived.
The main ancient roads served Alauna, making it a central city in North Cotentin. The city appears at the center of a road star linked by roads and paths which connected it to Cherbourg, Coutances to Rennes, Portbail, the Val de Saire (Fermanville, Barfleur and Saint-Vaast-La-Hougue) and Rouen .
The city had a rigorous geometric layout which was structured around two major roads. Its development was structured around the forum (administrative and political center) and the sanctuary, located in the heart of the city.
There were also thermal baths and domus (large majestic residences), all organized according to a grid of streets covering around twenty hectares.
The main activities of the town were metallurgy and crafts, particularly iron and bronze working.
During the expansion of the city, large residences (domus), the theater and the thermal baths were established on the outskirts of the urban center.
The remains visible today: The location of the theater and the thermal baths
The horseshoe-shaped tiered theater resembled an amphitheater. It had 5 vertical staircases, had a diameter of 66m and could accommodate 3700 spectators.
The terms, the remains of which have been classified as a historic monument since 1862, are the only ancient remains preserved in elevation in all of Normandy. The building with a surface area of 1225m² was symmetrical and composed of 6 cold rooms (frigidarium) and 4 hot (caldarium) or warm (tepidarium) rooms. The regular slope of the land made it possible to build the warm rooms below. The hot swimming pool consisted of a basin 7m in diameter, heated by 30 brick furnaces.
The terms had a hygienic function, but not only that, they were also places of meeting and sociability where the population could chat, discuss business or even relax.
Local economic activities
From 50 AD, agricultural establishments proliferated in two different ways: either in the continuity of Gallic farms, or in the form of large estates, the villae. Traces of the presence of villae have been found in Brillevast, Benoistville and even Sauxemesnil, where livestock breeding, cereal growing, market gardening, arboriculture and viticulture were practiced.
The know-how of the Romans was quickly adopted by the Gauls, which intensified the emergence of artisanal centers such as potters, tile makers, boilermakers, metallurgists, etc. These productions were dispersed across the kingdom thanks to the development of Roman trade routes, which favored commercial growth. The various excavation sites have made it possible to establish that commercial exchanges developed with the south, center and east of Gaul, but also with the Rhineland, the Iberian Peninsula as well as with Africa and the island from Rhodes in Greece. Amphorae, used to transport wine, oil, condiments, etc., were found at Portbail, testifying to the journey of these foodstuffs across the empire thanks to the sea routes traced by the Romans.
The religious practices of the Gallo-Romans
The Gallo-Romans were a believing people who venerated Gallic and Roman deities. Religion occupied an important place in daily life, and was manifested through public temples or private lararies located in the heart of homes. Numerous bronze or terracotta figurines have been found on multiple sites, such as Cherbourg, Tourlaville, Digulleville, Portbail and Valognes, testifying to an abundant production of sculptures and offerings representing deities.
During the first 3 centuries AD, the practice of cremation was predominant before being replaced by burial in funeral rites.
In Portbail, burials were carried out and cinerary urns were discovered in Montaigu-la-Brisette and Avranches.
These funeral ceremonies, which the Gallo-Romans carried out, were intended for the survival of the soul of the deceased and the purification of the living.
Light on the practice of burial thanks to the discovery of the Portbail necropolis
A necropolis discovered in Portbail allowed us to learn more about burials in the 2nd and 3rd centuries AD, thanks to the ten burials present.
Religious and funerary practices consisted of dressing the deceased, as well as wrapping them in a shroud, then bronze coins were placed on the eyes or in the mouth of the dead, according to the Greek rite intended to pay the ferryman of the dead. souls to allow the deceased to cross the river of hell and reach the realm of the dead. These deceased were then placed in rectangular wooden coffins, which were placed in a large pit with offerings, usually ceramic vases containing perfumes, drinks or food.
Late antiquity: a dark period (3rd to 5th century)
This period straddling Antiquity and the Middle Ages is broken down into two parts: Late Antiquity (from the end of the 3rd century until 476) and the Merovingian era (476-750).
Political instability and insecurity
From the 3rd century, great political instability took hold. Insecurity increased significantly due to attacks by the Franks and Alemanni, so much so that the majority of major cities entrenched themselves and built fortifications (castrum), such as Cherbourg, Coutances and Avranches to avoid further damage. 'be set on fire. Other cities like Alauna and Montaigu-la-Brisette began to be deserted. These desertions are also observed in the countryside where many farms and villas are partly abandoned in the face of fiscal harassment from the Romans. Bands of looters, formed by ruined citizens or slaves in revolt, ravage the region. Added to this were Saxon raids from the sea.
Amazing savings, found in the Cotentin, for better days
In this context of insecurity, residents buried their “monetary treasures”. These coins were buried in terracotta or glass vases whose amounts ranged from a few dozen coins to several thousand.
Since the 19th century, these burials have been regularly discovered in the English Channel. Like in Saint-Germain-de-Varreville, where a “treasure” of 14 coins minted between the end of the 528rd century and the beginning of the 3th was found. To date, it constitutes the most voluminous deposit of Antiquity unearthed in Europe.
End of the Roman Empire in 476
During the 4th century, the territories were reorganized and the Armorican provinces expelled the Roman authorities to govern themselves.
With the end of the Roman Empire in 476, a new era began with the Merovingian era. Clovis, king of the Franks, began the conquest of Gaul but came up against Armorica. To succeed in annexing the province to his kingdom, he negotiated and concluded marriages between Frankish leaders and Armorican elite.
Au 5th century, historians found that the population had declined significantly, life expectancy was between 25 and 40 years, and the infant mortality rate was very high.
In coordination with the Country of Art and History of Clos du Cotentin