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How to get here?Ancient Times
Ancient Times
From the 5th century, exchanges between peoples increased. Populations came and went between the north and the south, crossing our region. Small boats started to arrive on the coast near what are now Salses, Collioure and Port-Vendres and their occupants traded with the inhabitants of the area: the ‘Sordes’, who lived on the plain and the coastal areas, whose capital was Ruscino, the ‘Cérètes’, who lived on the plateau of Cerdagne and in the Vallespir, whose capital was ‘Julia Libica’ (today: Llivia).
All the inhabitants were subjected to various influences: those of their Iberian (Spanish) neighbours, then the Celts (from the 3rd century B.C.) ; and also those of the Phoenicians, the Etruscans and the Greeks.
At the time of the second Punic war (when Rome fought against Carthage) the Carthaginian general Hannibal decided to go and fight the Romans on their own territory. In order to do this he had to cross the Pyrenees and approached our “border” at the head of a vast army. If they had wished, the chiefs of Gaul who ruled Roussillon, could have stopped him. In the end, on payment of a considerable “toll” they allowed him to go through with his 80,000 warrior foot soldiers, his 10,000 strong cavalry and his… 40 elephants. It is thought that he went over the pass of Panissars, (Le Perthus)… What is certain is that negotiations with the Gauls took place at Illiberis (Elne), and Carthage finally lost the war and Rome decided to invade Spain.
In 121 B.C. the Romans seized Gaul from the south and created a vast and rich province, which stretched from its capital, Narbonne, to Nice, passing through Perpignan on the way, and called it "La Narbonnaise".
It was at this time that the famous Via Domitia (Domitian Way), which exploited the rich iron mines of the Canigou, was built and also a complete irrigation network (canals, ditches, aqueducts…).
The Roman colonization lasted for many centuries and there are still many remains (for example, the thermal baths of Amélie-les-Bains). The Roman presence generated considerable expansion of Roussillon’s infrastructure, but progress was continually slowed down, and from time to time completely ground to a halt by the devastating incursions of "Barbarians", the sporadic rebellions of the natives, civil wars and deadly rivalries within the Roman camp itself.
All the inhabitants were subjected to various influences: those of their Iberian (Spanish) neighbours, then the Celts (from the 3rd century B.C.) ; and also those of the Phoenicians, the Etruscans and the Greeks.
At the time of the second Punic war (when Rome fought against Carthage) the Carthaginian general Hannibal decided to go and fight the Romans on their own territory. In order to do this he had to cross the Pyrenees and approached our “border” at the head of a vast army. If they had wished, the chiefs of Gaul who ruled Roussillon, could have stopped him. In the end, on payment of a considerable “toll” they allowed him to go through with his 80,000 warrior foot soldiers, his 10,000 strong cavalry and his… 40 elephants. It is thought that he went over the pass of Panissars, (Le Perthus)… What is certain is that negotiations with the Gauls took place at Illiberis (Elne), and Carthage finally lost the war and Rome decided to invade Spain.
In 121 B.C. the Romans seized Gaul from the south and created a vast and rich province, which stretched from its capital, Narbonne, to Nice, passing through Perpignan on the way, and called it "La Narbonnaise".
It was at this time that the famous Via Domitia (Domitian Way), which exploited the rich iron mines of the Canigou, was built and also a complete irrigation network (canals, ditches, aqueducts…).
The Roman colonization lasted for many centuries and there are still many remains (for example, the thermal baths of Amélie-les-Bains). The Roman presence generated considerable expansion of Roussillon’s infrastructure, but progress was continually slowed down, and from time to time completely ground to a halt by the devastating incursions of "Barbarians", the sporadic rebellions of the natives, civil wars and deadly rivalries within the Roman camp itself.
Some words on the history
Some important dates... Pre-History Ancient Times The middle Ages The Kingdom of Majorca The Treaty of the Pyrenees Once upon a time... Vauban
Detail of the fresco - Ruscino
Around the year 260, the Francs decided to invade Spain and crossed into our territory at Le Perthus, spreading terror wherever they went, and Ruscino was completely destroyed.
In 462, under the reign of the Visigoth king Theodor II, “La Narbonnaise”, which was part of the Languedoc and the Roussillon (but not the Cerdagne) took the name of “Septimania”.
The Visigoths stayed in power for nearly three centuries in Roussillon and contributed greatly to its economic and cultural revival, especially during the reign of King Wamba.
It was the Visigoths who introduced a new religion here which would influence our culture and customs for ever: Christianity (Catholicism did not appear until later), and it was under their domination that the Church would extend its religious, political and economic power.
It is at "Castrum Hellenae", previously Illiberis (Elne), that the first Christian church was founded in the 5th century, the “mother of all the churches of Roussillon”. In the following century, Elne became the seat of the first bishop’s palace and the capital.
Then the Arabs decided to invade Spain, and they too crossed via Le Perthus in order to conquer Narbonne then Carcassonne and put an end to the domination of the Visigoths in Roussillon.
Forty years later, the Arabs crossed the Pyrenees again, but going in the other direction, pursued by Pépin le Bref.
In 462, under the reign of the Visigoth king Theodor II, “La Narbonnaise”, which was part of the Languedoc and the Roussillon (but not the Cerdagne) took the name of “Septimania”.
The Visigoths stayed in power for nearly three centuries in Roussillon and contributed greatly to its economic and cultural revival, especially during the reign of King Wamba.
It was the Visigoths who introduced a new religion here which would influence our culture and customs for ever: Christianity (Catholicism did not appear until later), and it was under their domination that the Church would extend its religious, political and economic power.
It is at "Castrum Hellenae", previously Illiberis (Elne), that the first Christian church was founded in the 5th century, the “mother of all the churches of Roussillon”. In the following century, Elne became the seat of the first bishop’s palace and the capital.
Then the Arabs decided to invade Spain, and they too crossed via Le Perthus in order to conquer Narbonne then Carcassonne and put an end to the domination of the Visigoths in Roussillon.
Forty years later, the Arabs crossed the Pyrenees again, but going in the other direction, pursued by Pépin le Bref.