Let’s talk about Gaule or the Roman period of time in Aquitaine and where you can visit to discover more. When were the Romans in Bordeaux and Aquitaine? What did the Romans contribute to Aquitaine? What were the Romans eating and drinking? The question ‘how often do you think of the Roman Empire’ was an interesting one for me, because I think about it daily! Bazas was part of this history, the roads we drive on, wine culture, the oysters and pork we eat, all have histories intertwined with Rome. Please note, Roman names will be italicized in parenthesis the first time they are mentioned.
IMPORTANT DATES IN ROMAN AQUITAINIA
First of all, what dates are we talking about? To make it easy, it’s 50 BC to 400 AD and ended when the Visigoths then came through and took over.
FAMOUS ROMAN AUSIONIUS
One of the most famous local Romans would be Ausone (Decimus Magnus Ausonius) who is thought to have been born in Bazas (Cossium) in the 4th century AD, went to University in Bordeaux (Burdigala) and created the first wine making plantation in what is now Saint Emilion (Ascumbas). He was alive towards the end of the Roman period, writing about life here, he eventually writes about the fabulous oysters. One of the schools in Bazas is named after him.
THE MUSEE D’AQUITAINE IN BORDEAUX
This museum in Bordeaux will cover the history of the city from the stone age until present, with incredible detail and tens of thousands of artifacts. There are some wonderful sculptures and Roman pieces in the Musee d’Aquitaine with interactive parts for children. It’s incredible and well worth a visit for the lovers of history. Ville de Bordeaux – Maintenance (musee-aquitaine-bordeaux.fr) / 196 Cours Pasteur, 33000 Bordeaux / +33 (0)5 56 01 51 00
ROMAN SITES TO VISIT IN AQUITAINE
There are ruins scattered everywhere, bases of religious structures and villas resting in grassy fields from Andernos les Bains to Brion in Saint-Germain-d’Esteuil, Medoc. Let’s look at some of the architecture the Romans contributed to Aquitaine.
In BORDEAUX, or Burdigala during the Roman era, there are two main routes in town which were also important 2,000 years ago. If you are standing in Place de la Comedie (near the location of the Roman Forum) with the Intercontinental hotel in front of you, to the left is Cours d’Intendance running up the left side of the hotel, which was the major route EW into Burdigala. Rue Saint Catherine is part of the main road NS into Burdigala.
While most structures have been destroyed over the centuries, the Palais Gallien, which is a 17,000-22,000 person amphitheatre built in the 2nd century, lies in ruins in the middle of a neighbourhood in NW Bordeaux. To get there, again looking at the Intercontinenal Hotel, the street to the upper right is Avenue Tourney which will eventually turn into Rue Fondaudege, walk down this street and turn left onto Rue du Palais Gallien and you will see it in no time! The evening is my favorite time to view, with the lights shining on the structure and making it feel all the more impressive and mysterious!
LOUPIAC Outside of Bordeaux, in SE Gironde, is a vineyard which is home to an ancient Roman spa and potentially an ancient port town. My photos don’t do the Villa Loupiac justice, but the family has been safekeeping this part of antiquity for over 100 years. Their barn is filled with columns and lanterns, a myriad of Roman everyday objects. Your visit with the owner ends with a glass of his sweet Loupiac wine. Villa Loupiac gallo-romaine archéologie (villadeloupiac.wixsite.com) / Lieu-Dit Saint Romain, 33410 Loupiac / +33 (0)6 07 01 64 88
EAUZE (Elusa) is a village in the Gers, charming and small with plenty of medieval buildings and a museum with plenty of artifacts in the centre of town. Outside of the village you can drive to the site of a Roman village, La Domus de Cieutat, with some remnants which have been preserved. The best time to go is their Roman festival, with live actors and plenty of activites for the young and old to enjoy! La Domus de Cieutat / Centre d’Interprétation d’ELUSA Capitale Antique – Elusa, Capitale Antique / Allee Julien Laudet, En Face de la Communaute de Communes, 32800 Eauze / +33 (0)5 62 09 71 38
PLASSAC also has a Villa Gallo Romaine and is one I haven’t been to yet but I am really hoping to get to this year! It is a Roman farm and villa archaeological site, just south of Blaye. Mentions légales (villagalloromaine-plassac.fr) / Rue Chardonnet, Adjacent to Mairie de Plassac, 33390 Plassac /
ROMAN FOODS AND ADDITIONS TO OUR CULINARY HISTORY
Some texts I read said local Roman wines were mainly white, made in amphoras, for the masses. No doubt during your wine tours in Bordeaux you will see chateaux using amphoras again. This is of course one of the most important local contributions Romans made in Aquitaine. Wine was to be made available to anyone and everyone, drunk with proportions of 50/50 wine and water. Vintages became important, years of high quality and good growth. The image of Bacchus, the Roman god of wine, is still apparent and appreciated today. You can see his face in one of the many ‘mascarons‘ (faces carved in stone over windows) in the Place de la Bourse, to the right of the middle building which houses the restaurant ‘Gabriel’.
Romain fish sauce, or GARUM, was made all over the Romain Empire using fish and salt in a lactic acid fermentation (much like kimchi). There is still production in the Loire and you can visit a historic site in Bretagne Antiquité – Une usine gallo-romaine de production de garum – Frise chronologique histoire du sel – Inrap
OYSTERS were consumed, although cooked over a fire if not eaten fresh from the coast. Seasonings, like garum, would be added to those which were cooked. Les Huîtres dans l’Empire Romain – Légion VIII Augusta (leg8.fr). The original variety of oysters consumed in SW France during the Roman era would not be the variety we find today locally.
GARBURE is a very classical winter stew made in Gascony, but at the Roman festival in Eauze I learned about a very similar stew which the Romans made. Here is one recipe on the website Papilles et Pupilles which I love Garbure Béarnaise : la délicieuse recette à l’ancienne (papillesetpupilles.fr). You’ll see many ingredients which should have been available during the Roman era, aside from carrots not being orange and Piment Espelette not being available (no new world produce of course).
While we can find ‘poule au pot‘ on many menus described as King Henry IV chicken, it has been a dish in the area since antiquity. Essentially a stewed chicken with vegetables, still enjoyed in many homes today.
READ MORE :
GAULE AQUITAINE | Archéo Mémo Inrap
FRA – Aide aux devoirs – Landscape (youtube.com)
Loire : Le Garum, boisson gréco-romaine, fait son grand retour (francetvinfo.fr)
Vestiges Gallo-romain en Nouvelle-Aquitaine (museedupatrimoine.fr)
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