• ARCHAEOLOGY
  • Military science
  • Religion
  • Historical context
    • The excavations
    • The Gallic Roman civilization The Pax Romana
    • The villas
    • The dark years
    • Archaeological context
    • The region
  • Agricultural archaeology
  • Beer
  • The vallus
• WALKING IN MALAGNE
• TEACHERS
• CHILDREN

The Gallic Roman civilization

The conquest of Gaul around the year 50 before Christ, the Gallic and Roman cultures mingle, and the Gallic Roman civilization arises from mutual input. Continuity remains in exploiting the soil.

Roman colonies that came to settle in Gaul exploited agricultural fields. Malagne is an example of this and one can still see the remains of the house of the landlord. This house was built at the beginning of the Ist century, as well as the foundations that can be seen of the various annexes (workshop, stables, forgery, ...) Until the end of the IIIrd century, agricultural cultivation was the primary occupation of the habitants (stock farming, cereals and greens). From the IVth century on, their activities move towards the metal industry.

A rural territory such as Malagne provided to considerable extend in their own needs (nourishment, clothes, tools, kitchen ware, crockery, ...). Other objects were imported, such as the fine siggilance earthenware (stone red finish), olive oil, wine, oysters, some tools, etc. The villas produced also for nearby housing areas, the vici. So an economical market mechanism existed.

The first constructions of the villa date from about 50 years after Christ. The villa was inhabited until the year 259, when a fire destroyed the inside of the building. After the building had been used as a forgery until the year 400 the habitants of the region took the stones and used it again as construction material.

Little historical rub up:

In the year 57 after Christ, Caesar dispersed the Belgian community (battle of Aisne, battle of Sabis and siege of the Aduatique fortress), after that, he beats the Nerviers and eradicates the Aduatiques. Three years thereafter the war flares up again and the Eburonen make a clean sweep through fifteen million Romans that are encamped in Atuatica. They join a battle against all Roman posts. The repulse of the occupying power runs violent with readiness to genocide. Ambiorix escapes to the mass grave and the battle becomes worse. The legions of Caesar have to pull back two hundred kilometres. In the year 52 the battle flares up in central Gaul. Thanks to the battle of Alesia the Roman occupant refinds control. One year later all homes of the rebels are set on fire and the land of the Eburons is destroyed. In Gaul military occupancy rules.