The Latin Durocortōrum comes from the
Celtic "Durocorteron" ("round fortress"). It was an
oppidum of the tribe of the
Remi founded circa 80 BC and was its capital. Mentions of Durocortorum from sources during
Antiquity in chronological order are: • By
Ptolemy in his
Geography, II, 9, 6
Duricortora (). • By
Julius Caesar in his
Gallic Wars, VI, 44, and to 3. • By
Strabo in his
Geographica, IV, 3, 5. • By
Ammianus Marcellinus in his
Res gestae XV, 11-10. • In the proceedings of the
Synod of Arles (314) in codex C 37
civitas Remorum, K 27, A 24, D 24 (
Item de Galleis. Inbetausius episcopus, Primigenius diaconus de ciuitate Remorum [Reims]). • By
Saint Jerome, in his
letter CXXIII, 15 to Gerchia,
Remorum urbs. • In the
Codex Theodosianus,
Valens and
Valentinian II are in Durocortorum in 366 and 367 promulgating imperial ordinances (book VIII, 7 given at Durocortorum on 7 April 366; book XI, 1 given at Durocortorum 19 May 366; ...book XIV, 4 given at Durocortorum 8 June 367). • In the
Notitia Dignitatum, the city is mentioned for its sword manufacturing (Western empire IX, 36) for its manufacturing of court wear (Western empire XI, 56), its workshops for gold or silver jewellery (Western empire XI, 76), as the residence of the main tax collector (????? French: Directeur des caisses générales de comte des Largesses) (Western empire XI, 34), and the prefect of the
laeti and heathens ( Western empire XLII, 42).
Durocortorum, oppidum of the Remi Before the foundation of Durocorteron, the main settlement of the
Remi was an
oppidum located near the current villages of
Variscourt and
Condé-sur-Suippe close to Reims. Founded between 450 and 200 BC during the
La Tène I and II period, it already covered some 500 Hectares, and was most likely surrounded by two concentric walls or ditches. As shown by archeological finds in the
necropolises found at the site, it was then succeeded by the
oppidum of
Durocortoron (latinised to Durocortorum) at the location of the city Reims. Since the
Gauls had a culture of orally transmitting information, little information exists on Durocortorum before the arrival of the Romans. However, it was widely considered to be the northernmost civilised city. Archaeological excavations show it was sparsely inhabited since the La Tène period. The town of 90 Hectares was centred around the current "place Royal" in Reims and protected by fortifications, consisting of an of 50 metres length, 8 metre deep ditch and an earth wall, probably capped with a wooden palisade.
The Remi and Rome in 57 BC At the time of Caesar's invasion of Gaul, the territory of the Remi stretched from the
Seine to the
Marne and the
Meuse In 57 BC the Belgae attacked the oppidum
Bibrax at the
battle of the Axona. However, Caesar's legions were
victorious and successfully defended the oppidum. After Caesar's retreat, the armies of the Belgae attacked the Remi, but the Roman troops made a U-turn and came back to help their allies. The Remi remained loyal allies of Rome during all of the Gallic wars. Durocortorum was therefore declared an allied city and allowed to be independent with the privilege of keeping its laws, religion, and government, and the Suessiones were put under their dominion. dedicated to
the god of war, was oriented towards Gallia Belgica, which was in the process of pacification. Of the others, only some remains of the gate of
Dionysus (Porte Bazée) have survived. Veritable triumphal arches were erected on the diagonals connecting the gates to glorify the invader-colonisers. From the gate of
Ceres roads branched off towards
Augusta Treverorum (Trier),
Divodorum (Metz) and
Colonia Agrippina (Cologne). Next to and just outside the gate of Ceres was the craftsmen’s quarter, which specialised in working bone. From the gate of Mars roads went towards
Bavacum (Bavay),
Tervanna (Thérouanne) and the port of
Gesoriacum (Boulogne-sur-mer). From the gate of Venus a single road, due to having to cross the swamp, headed towards
Lutetia (Paris). From the gate of Dionysus roads branched off towards
Rome and
Tullum Leucorum (Toul). Cemeteries lined the roads entering and leaving the city. Other roads of the Gallo Roman city were, as typical of Roman cities, parallel and perpendicular to the
cardo- and
decumanos majores. At the end of the 2nd century, the city was developing rapidly, benefiting from the progressively ensuing
Pax Romana, which resulted in increased commerce. It was in this period that the above-mentioned gates were constructed as well as the enormous covered area of the
cryptoportique, a U-shaped heightened area that made up the northern part of the Forum and became the commercial centre of the city. A market was probably held nearby (perhaps in the current rue du Marc). The city also had an
amphitheatre, a stadium (rue Gosset), an
arena (Rue du Mont-d'Arène), hot baths (
thermae), temples and rich villas as witnessed by the mosaics that have been found. The city also had its own supply of fresh water from an
aqueduct () to the
Suippe, a sewage system and a waste dump. Christianity had become established in the city by 260, at which period
Saint Sixtus founded the bishopric of Reims. File:Porte Bazée 021.jpg|The remains of the gate of Dionysus (Porte Bazée) on the rue de l'Université in Reims. File:Cryptoportique1.jpg|The Cryptoportique constructed at the end of the 1st century. File:Cénotaphe à Caïus et Julius 4471.jpg|Cenotaph of the young princes
Gaius Julius Caesar Vipsanianus and
Lucius Julius Caesar Vipsanianus.
Decline of the city during the late Roman Empire conserved in the musée Saint-Remi. . The consul
Jovinus, an influential supporter of Christianity, repelled the
Alamanni who invaded Champagne in 336. In 357 and 366 invasions of Germanic tribes are pushed back before they reach Metropolis Civitas Remorum (Reims) as Durocortorum is called during this period. The city did not have defensive fortifications yet, and the progressively declining Roman Empire did not have sufficient military forces to protect it. At the time the city extended beyond the large Gallo Roman ditch, but the population declined and found refuge within the perimeter delimited by four Roman gates. The enclosure can still be found in the street plan formed by the rue de Talleyrand, rue de Chanzy, rue de Contrai, and the rue des Murs, named after walls that were built during that period, rue Ponsardin, rue Rogier, rue Andrieuz, and the boulevard Désaubeau. On a small hill outside of the city, what is now the "quartier St. Remi", a small borough developed. The defences would not prove sufficient, however. In 406 the
Vandals descended on the city and pillaged it. The inhabitants fled to the Christian cathedral, where the bishop
Nicasius of Rheims was decapitated on the doorstep while trying to slow them down. In 451 the Huns attacked. Hardly anything is left from this period except some traces of fortifications and the Roman road system that had not been changed. It seems the city was burned down and rebuilt several times, but little can still be found since the inhabitants, much poorer now, used cheap and easy to work but perishable materials such as wood, straw and clay. == Archaeology ==