Andemantunnum

Andematunum (or Andemantunnum ) is the name, at the time Gallo-Roman, of the city Langres, the capital of the Lingons. The mentions of this name find on the Milliary columns (in summary AND), the Table of Peutinger and the Itinéraire of Antonin.

Origin of the name

If the prefix Andema has an unknown origin, the suffix Tunum means perched strengthened site, in height. Under the reign of Auguste, at the time of the reorganization of the Gaulle, it will carry the name of its tribe, Lingonae or Civitas Lingonum .

Administratively, Andematunum belongs to the Celtic Gaulle at the time of the Roman conquest by Jules César. The Civitas Lingonum will be attached thereafter to the Lyons Gaulle then with the Gaulle Belgium. Under Domitien, it will depend with the territory on the Germanie before belonging again to Lyons, with the Bas-Empire. Faithful to the Romans at the time of the conquest, Lingons obtain the title of Roman citizens, with all the privileges inherent in this honor. Their revolt, under Vespasien, will have probably made them lose this statute.

In space, a traditional town planning

The city is built on a barred spur, surrounded by the Marne and Bonnelle. It occupied, at the beginning of the Empire, mainly the surface of the current city, that is to say almost seventy hectares. Its population believes then and probably reaches 8000 inhabitants. The disorders of the III E century and the pressure of the invaders push the administration then to concentrate the city behind ramparts. The northern part includes the headland and the southern part of the belt passed a little more to north of the axis of the current streets of the Small-Cloister, of Butchery and Boulière. The surface of the city is returned then to 25 hectares and will shelter between 2000 and 3000 inhabitants.

One finds there despite everything a completely traditional plan of town planning to the Roman. The Cardo maximus, North-South axis, corresponds roughly to current the Long street Carries - Street Diderot and which occurred Turenne. The Decumanus maximus, way perpendicular to the Cardo maximus crossed this one on the current place Jeanne Mance. Some discoveries highlighted sections of public and deprived highways.

Modern archeology also updated certain residential whole of the Roman epoch, with relatively comfortable particular houses (like the current ones places Beautiful-Air and place of the Museum).

One found also certain vestiges of ramparts there, of hydraulic systems (sewers, collectors, fountains, sources), of pertaining to worship places, thermal baths.

An artisanal life existed in the suburbs of the agglomeration. Metallurgical workshops, size of the stone, work of clay constituted the essence of their activity.

Outside, four necropoles were updated, at the four cardinal points of the city, classically located along the great transportation routes. The construction of the citadel, at the XIXe century, the site of the " old cimetière" , with put at the day a very abundant concise collection.

Andematunum, already a road junction.

The city is, at that time, an important road junction between the south, north and the North-West.

The great way coming from Lugdunum /Lyon arrives of the south (it is the current RN 74). This road is joined little before the entry of the city by that which comes from Vesontio /Besancon. It then crosses the city along an axis south-north and in fate by a door, the Long Door . It joined then Augusta Treverorum /Trier while passing by Toul and Metz.

It could also move towards the North-West, in direction of Durocortorum /Rheims. It is the great way which led Rome to Boulogne-sur-Mer. It then left the city by a small triumphal arch, which exists still nowadays and which is integrated into the ramparts. It is the Arc of the Door of the Market or Roman Porte . It dates from the time augustéenne (- 20 before J. - C.). It circumvented the hill of the Forks and moved then towards Humes. It is the current RN 19.

Another great way joined Argentoratum /Strasbourg, crossing the Marne towards Peigney. It is the MINOR ROAD 2. Towards south-east, another way, whose layout would correspond to the current RN 19, carried out towards Portus Abucini /the Port-on-Saone.

Langres, Sabinus and the emperor Constance Chlorinate

One owes with several Roman historians the first mentions of the city lingonne. Tacite tells the non-intervention of the Lingons during the rising of certain people against the authoritative capacity of Néron. The eliminated emperor, his successor, Bent, punishes those which had not taken part in the revolt, the Lingons amongst other things. After this episode, the Lingons were combined with Vitellius in its fight against Othon, which had crowned emperor after having assassinated Galba. Benefitting from these disorders, Vespasien is made crown emperor, but this situation than disturbed more pushes with individual attempts at takeover. It is this moment that selected the lingon Iulius Sabinus to try to impose itself while being proclaimed in its turn emperor. In 70, however, the congress of the Gallic cities joined together with Durocortorum /Rheims request with revolted to cease rising. In escape, Iulius Sabinus flees by an underground of its villa which it set fire to beforehand to make accept its death. It taken refuge during almost 10 years in a cave, traditionally located at the sources of the the Marne, with its Eponine wife. The calm income, Iulius Sabinus and Eponine go to Rome to beseech the forgiveness of the emperor Vespasien. Insensitive to their request, it will make them carry out both. Dion Cassius and Plutarque will make this episode of the history langroise a fictionalized version.

The pax romana is installed again on the territory lingon. Until worms second half of IIIe century when the incursions of the Francs start towards Durocortorum /Rheims and the Alamans towards Lugdunum /Lyon. Their junction is operated in the south of Langres which they destroy. The emperors try to contain their pushes. In the Chronic of Zonaras, it is thus with the foot of the citadel lingonne that the emperor Constance Chlorinates beats Alamans, probably towards 298 - 300. The emperor, put initially in escape, wants to take refuge in the city with his troop. The closed doors oblige, according to the legend, this one to be made hoist with the top of the walls using cords. The reformed troop arises then from the city and massacre, probably towards Peigney, 60.000 enemies.

Today, to many objects deposited in the museum of Art and History testify to the importance of this ancient capital .

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