Arelate, modern Arles, was located in the delta of the river Rhône in France. The city was one of the most important Roman harbour cities and is on the World Heritage List of UNESCO.
The city was captured by the Romans in 123 BC. In 104 BC Arelate, that was not on the sea, was connected with the Mediterranean Sea by a canal. Julius Caesar made the city a colony of Rome in 46 BC. The surroundings of the city were used by veterans of the Roman legion Legio VI Ferrata, which had its base there. The full name of the city was Colonia Iulia Paterna Arelatensium Sextanorum (the ancestral Julian colony of Arles of the soldiers of the Sixth). It may eventually have had almost 100.000 inhabitants.
There are still many remains from Roman times, especially in the district Trinquetaille, among others the famous amphitheatre, an obelisk, the baths of Constantine, subterranean remains of the forum and the necropolis ("les Alyscamps"). Outside the city you can still visit the remains of the famous Barbegal watermill with its aquaduct. Its waterwheels produced around 4.5 tons of flour per day.
See also:
[30-09-2018] Ship biscuit for sailors (Barbegal mill), also available in Dutch.
- A movie about the Barbegal mill by the University of Warwick.
- A movie about Arles by France 5.
- A movie about necropolis "les Alyscamps" by France Passion.
- Roberto Piperno's page about Arles.
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