Arles

A city in southern France on the left bank of the Rhône that was once a colony founded by Caesar (46 BC) and which has an amphitheater and cryptoporticus dating from 1st century BC. Very little is known of the Celto-Greek settlement, traditionally colonized by the Phocaeans. Marius constructed the Fossae Marianae, a navel canal linking Arles with the sea, in 104 BC. Arles from then on was a service port and naval shipyard. Caesar used it as his naval base in 49 BC when attacking Marseilles (Massilia). Two aqueducts were built to bring water from the Alpilles. Constantine the Great (306-337 AD) adopted the city as one of his capitals. It was a mint in late Roman times and an imperial Roman theater and the largest amphitheater north of the Alps were located there. In the 1st century AD, St. Trophime founded the bishopric, which remained until 1790.

[Roman Arelate]. City in southern France. A Celto-Greco-Roman town of Gallia Narbonensis (see Gaul) was situated on the left bank of the Rhone, close to the head of the delta. Very little is known of the Celto-Greek settlement, traditionally colonized by the Phocaeans. Significant history probably commences with the construction by Marius in 104 bc of the fossae Marianae, a naval canal linking Arles directly with the sea at the Golfe de Fos. Arles soon began to develop what was to be its characteristic role and the basis of its commercial success throughout the Imperial period—the function of service port and naval shipyard. The port was used as naval base by Caesar in 49 bc in his sack of Massilia [Marseilles], and in 46 bc a colony (see colonia) was founded for veterans of the 6th legion (Colonia Iulia Paterna Arelate Sextanorum). Romanization in due course provided two aqueducts which brought water from the Alpilles. Christianization saw Arles as the residence of Constantine for a time, and the town became an influential centre for ecclesiastical councils of the 4th and 5th centuries ad. Remains from the Roman period notably include an imperial Roman theatre, and the largest amphitheatre north of the Alps (Les Arènes), with seating originally perhaps for more than 20,000 spectators. Both of these buildings have suffered badly as a result of being used as forts during the medieval period — the amphitheatre being converted into a fortified town with watch-towers, three of which survive.