Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Provence, with its strategic location, benefited greatly from Rome's global economy
and grew to become an important part of its worldwide empire. After Julius Caesar
conquered Gaul, Emperor Augustus set out to Romanize it, building and renovating cities
in the image of Rome. Most cities had a theater (some had several), baths, and aqueducts;
the most important cities had sports arenas. The Romans also erected an elaborate infra-
structure of roads, post offices, schools (teaching in Latin), police stations, and water-sup-
ply systems.
With a standard language and currency, Roman merchants were able to trade wine,
salt, and olive oil for foreign goods. The empire invested heavily in cities that were stra-
tegic for trade. For example, the Roman-built city of Arles was a crucial link in the trade
route from Italy to Spain, so they built a bridge across the Rhône River and fortified the
town.
A typical Roman city (such as Arles, Orange, Vaison la Romaine, or Nîmes) was a
garrison town, laid out on a grid plan with two main roads: one running north-south (the
cardus
), the other east-west (the
decumanus
). Approaching the city on your chariot, you'd
