Paris

River Seine, Paris
  • Paris is the Capital of France located on the confluence of the Rivers Seine and Marne in the Isle-de-France Region of northern France.
  • It was known as Lutecia to the Romans who included it in the Roman Province of Gallia Lugdunensis. However, the Capital of Gallia Lugdunensis was not at Paris, but further south at Lyon.

History of Roman Paris

  • 300 BCE: Paris was originally an island city of a Gallic Tribe called the Parisii, built on the Isle de la Cite in the river Seine.
  • 58-51 BCE: During the Gallic Wars, Julius Caesar defeated the Parisii in 52 BCE and their city was sacked.
  • 52 BCE: Roman Paris then became known as Lutecia.
  • 250 CE: St. Denis, the Christian Bishop of Paris was executed on the hill of Montmartre (martyrs hill) and his remains were buried on the site of the Basilica of St. Denis.
  • 358 CE: The future Roman Emperor Julian (361-363 CE) recorded a flood of the River Seine in his Work ‘Misopogon’.
  • 360 CE: Lutecia was renamed Parisius, after the Parisii Tribe.
  • c.400 CE: The Notitia Dignitatum stated that a naval unit, the Classis Anderetianorum, was based in Paris.
  • 451 CE: St. Genevieve (c.419-c.512 CE) saved Paris from Attila the Hun by convincing the population to stay at home and pray, rather then flee. Attila diverted to Orleans instead. St. Genevieve was then made the Patron Saint of Paris.
  • Very little of Roman Paris survives today.

‘Fluctuat nec mergitur’

  • The motto of Paris is ‘Fluctuat nec mergitur’ which translates as ‘tossed (by the waves) but not sunk’.
  • The Paris Coat of Arms depicts a silver vessel sailing on waves on a red background with a blue upper band decorated by gold Fleur de Lys. The colours of Paris are red and blue.
  • The Coat of Arms was first recorded in 1358 and was used by the Parisian Hanse of Water Merchants, who between 1170 and 1672 were given the royal charter to conduct navigation along the Seine to Paris.
  • From 1263 the Provost of the Water Merchants held a similar function to that of the Mayor of Paris today.

The Roman Sites

Copies of Roman Monuments

  • Arc de Triomphe:
    • This is a copy of the Arch of Titus (81 CE) in Rome, scaled up by a ratio of 1 to 3.
  • Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel
  • Quadriga on the Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel
    • Located on top of the Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel: Napoleon took the original Quadriga from Venice in 1797 CE, but today, this is a copy of the Quadriga which once stood in the Hippodrome of Constantinople.
    • The original, known as the Horses of Saint Mark, are now on display inside San Marco Cathedral in Venice, with a replica on the loggia.
  • L'Eglise de la Madeleine
    • The Church of Saint Mary Magdalene, also known as La Madeleine, is a Catholic Church which resembles a Roman Temple and is located at the far end of Rue Royale opposite Place de La Concorde in Paris.
    • The Church was commissioned by Napoleon, and designed by Pierre Alexandre Vignon in the Neo-Classical Style based on La Maison Carre, a Roman Temple in Nimes. It was consecrated in 1842.
  • Le Pantheon
    • The Pantheon in Paris is a Mausoleum built in the Neoclassical Style for French Citizens who were noted for their achievements. It was completed between 1758-1790 CE.
    • It is modelled on the Pantheon in Rome
  • Colonne Vendome
    • The Colonne Vendome is located in Place Vendome and was completed in 1810 by Napoleon I. It was modelled on Trajan's Column in Rome.
    • The Column was built to celebrate the Battle of Austerlitz in 1805 and is surrounded by a frieze depicting scenes from the battle. A statue of Napoleon I stands on top of the Column.

Other Monuments

Museums

Paris Obelisk

  • The Paris Obelisk, also known as the Luxor Obelisk, is in the Place de la Concorde, where it was erected on 25th October 1836.
  • Originally it had stood at the entrance to the Temple of Luxor dedicated to Amun, Mut and Khonshu.
  • It was placed as a symbol of peace near where the Guillotine had once stood during the executions of the French Revolution.
  • The Obelisk is one of three Ancient Egyptian Obelisks, the others are Cleopatra's Needle in London and the.New York Obelisk in Central Park.

Roman Roads of Paris

Lost Roman Monuments

  • Rue St. Jacques:
    • This was the Cardo Maximus towards the Roman Bridge across the River Seine.
  • Le Petit Pont
    • The bridge is on the exact site of the Roman Bridge.
  • Rue Soufflot:
  • St. Jacques Roman Necropolis:
    • which ran along the Rue St. Jacques and is now under the Hopital Cochin.

St. Genevieve

  • St. Genevieve (c.419-c.512 CE) is the Patron Saint of Paris, France.
  • In 451 CE St. Genevieve saved Paris from Attila the Hun.
  • She exhorted the mass of the population to say prayers at home, and not to leave the city. As a result, Attila bypassed Paris and besieged Orleans instead.
  • In 464 CE during the Siege of Paris by Childeric, St. Genevieve escaped through the siege lines, and brought grain from Troyes.
  • She interceded with Childeric I over the treatment of prisoners of war.
  • St. Genevieve then persuaded his son, Clovis I to liberate some prisoners and show leniency to others

St. Denis

  • St. Denis is the Patron Saint of France and one of the Patron Saints of Paris.
  • St. Denis was the Bishop of Paris when he was martyred in c.250 CE during the Decian Persecution (249-251 CE). St. Denis was martyred by beheading on a hill, later named after his martyrdom, ‘Montmartre’ (Mount of the Martyr).
  • The Church of Saint-Pierre de Montmartre was built in 1134 CE on the site of the martyrdom of St. Denis and is still standing. Much later, the more visible Basilica of Sacre Coeur was built beside it between 1875-1914 CE, in a Roman-Byzantine Style.
  • The Basilica of St. Denis was built on the site where his remains were buried and is located 6 miles (10km) north of Paris,
  • The Basilica is not a Roman building, but is a Gothic Abbey which has been rebuilt many times since its 4th century CE origins. The Basilica has played a pivotal role throughout the history of France. All but four of the Kings of France were buried here.

St. Martin of Tours

  • St. Martin of Tours (316-397 CE) served in the Roman Cavalry but left to become a Christian monk and eventually was made Bishop of Tours in 371 CE.
  • After St. Denis, he is one of the most notable Christian Saints in France, remaining prominent during the Middle Ages and was made the Patron Saint of the Third French Republic (1870-71 CE), when the government was forced to flee Paris and move to Tours, during the Franco-Prussian War (1870-71  CE).

Travel Information

 

Photo: View from the Pont de Grenelle, Paris

Get Directions Go to Visitor Map
52 BCE
Posted in .