Orange

Orange is a town located on the River Rhone in the Provence-Alpes-Cote d’Azur Region of southern France.
It was the Roman town of Civitas Arausio, located in the Province of Gallia Narbonensis, and is noted for its Roman Theatre and Triumphal Arch.

Battle of Arausio
- The Battle was fought at Orange (Arausio) on 6th October 105 BCE, between the Roman Republic and the Cimbri and Teutones Germanic Tribes. It was a disaster for the Romans who lost 80,000 Roman Legionaries according to Livy and 40,000 Roman Auxiliaries according to (Mommsen).
- However, the Cimbri and Teutones didn’t follow it up with an invasion of Italy, but moved south through the Pyrenees instead. This gave Rome a brief chance to recover and implement the Marian Reforms.
- At the Battle of Aquae Sextiae (102 BCE) which took place at Aix-en-Provence, Gaius Marius’ Legions massacred 90,000 Teutones and Ambrones and captured 20,000, resulting in an overwhelming Roman victory and saving Italy from invasion.

Orange Roman Theatre
- A well preserved Theatre which had seating for c. 7,000 spectators and today continues to hold regular events.
Roman Triumphal Arch with triple arches
- The Arch commemorates the Revolt of Julius Sacrovir in 21 CE.
- The 40,000 rebels were defeated outside Autun (Augustodunum) by Gaius Silius with two Legions, the Legio II Augusta and the Legio XIV Gemina, but only the Legio II Augusta is mentioned in the Inscriptions.

Museum of Art and History of Orange
- Located at Rue Madeleine Roch, Orange.
- The museum contains the largest ever Cadastral Roman Map ever found.
- A Cadastral Map was a map of land, used as the basis for Roman Taxation.
- The Map is etched on Marble showing Orange, Nimes and Montelimar.

Photo and map: Triumphal Arch, Orange