(Langres) Haute-Marne, France.
Gallo-Roman city a few km from the sources
of the Maine on a sturdy scarped spur overlooking the
Langres plateau, which acts as a mole dividing the waters
of the Saône, the Rhône, the Meuse, and the Seine.
Andematunum was also the meeting-point of several pre-Roman roads running E-W and N-S, and the center of
the powerful civitas of the Lingones.
It has a long history of human habitation: Neolithic
flints and axes and Bronze Age weapons (hatchet, dagger,
knives) mark a continuity that fades somewhat in the
Iron Age. Nevertheless it is generally admitted that the
Lingones, appearing at the time of the conquest to be
loyal allies of Caesar, had established themselves on the
plateau long before, and had their center in the oppidum
of Langres. Their advantageous position after the Roman
road network was built, and their privileged status as a
federal city (granted them by Caesar) favored the building of a large city. At first part of Belgica, then of
Germania Superior, and finally of Lugdunensis Prima,
Andeinatunuin was one of the leading cities of E Gaul.
An open city in the Early Empire, Andematunum probably extended a little way beyond the present-day ramparts to the S, but not as far as Saint-Geosme. Some
elements of the city plan have been located, but the
density of the modern town prevents its complete recovery. The Rue Diderot, however, may lie along the original cardo. The 3d c. invasions brought about some retrenchment on the N and middle sections of the spur,
and the hasty erection of a surrounding wall, with many
reused blocks. This wall was probably duplicated in the
5th c. by another wall enclosing a wider area. Four gates,
more or less modified in the Middle Ages, gave access
to the city: to the S, two gates known as the Porte de
Moab and Porte au Pain; to the N the so-called Longe-Porte, a few traces of which remain; and to the W the
Porte du Marché. This last is the only one preserved,
although it is built into the present-day rampart (20 m
long; preserved ht. 10.7 m; ht. to the arch soffit 7.95 m).
The gate has Corinthian pilasters set between two arches
whose archivolts consist of three unequal bands; above
is a frieze of arms. The upper section is missing. The
date, which is debated, seems to be before the 3d c. The
monument probably is a so-called triumphal arch, subsequently included in the Late Empire circuit wall as, it
is generally agreed, the Longe-Porte was also.
Inscriptions, blocks from monumental architecture,
colossal statues, and various other finds indicate that the
site contained many public monuments such as temples,
a theater, and baths, but none of these has yet been
located with certainty. On the other hand four necropoleis have been found: to the N, on the hillside, to the
NE, to the S below the present-day Citadel, and the
fourth to the E. Chance finds of mosaics, bas-reliefs,
statuettes, inscriptions, thousands of coins, and a considerable quantity of pottery attest the density and prosperity of the settlement. Moreover the wealthy residential
quarter, discovered several km from the city on the
Baume plateau along with a necropolis filled with grave
gifts, should probably be considered in connection with
Excavations at the foot of the present-day rampart at
the modern Porte des Auges have recently uncovered a
huge complex: three main buildings arranged around a
large rectangular courtyard, and also some structures
aligned parallel to a road; the walls of these latter structures still stand in places over 4 in high. So far the purpose of the different parts of this complex has not
been determined, but the abundant pottery finds and coins
indicate an early date, the first half of the 1st c. A.D.
This date agrees with the evidence of hundreds of potters'
stamps uncovered in chance finds: here the 1st c. is, on
the average, four times more frequently represented than
the 2d c. Terra sigillata comes from Arezzo (a few samples), but mainly from La Graufesenque and sometimes
Lezoux, far more often than from E workshops. Similarly, the most numerous coins are those from the Early
Empire, particularly the reign of Augustus.
Most of the finds uncovered at Langres are in local
collections: the Musée des Antiquités Nationales at St.
Gerinain-en-Laye, the Musée du Breuil, and especially
the Musée Saint-Didier at Langres have important collections, notably of sculptures and inscriptions.
S. Migneret, Précis de I'histoire de
(1835); Luquet, Antiquités de Langres
R. Mowat, RA
16, 2 (1890) 33, 61; A. Blanchet, Mél
I (1893); A. Roserot, Dictionnaire topographique du Département de la Haute-Marne
(1903); G.Drioux, Bacth
(1932-33) 671ff; (1936-37) 481; (1941-42) 429; id., Bull. Soc. d'Étude des Sciences Naturelles de la Haute-Marne
(1933) 712, and later issues; P. Ballet, La Haute-Marne
(1971) 167-74; E. Frézouls, Gallia
310-13; 29 (1971) 303-5PI
; 32 (1973) 418-21.