Classical antiquity , found in the town in 1704, was the first
Northwest Semitic (i.e. Canaanite or Aramaic) inscription published anywhere in modern times. Carpentras was a commercial site used by
Greek merchants in ancient times, and known to Romans at first as
Carpentoracte Meminorum, mentioned by
Pliny, then renamed
Forum Neronis ("Forum of Nero"); the city retains a
Roman triumphal arch, that has been enclosed by the bishops' palace, rebuilt in 1640, now a law court, and a
machicolated city gate, the ''Porte d'Orange''.
Ancient Diocese of Carpentras For the history of the
bishopric of Carpentras, see
Ancient Diocese of Carpentras.
Middle Ages At the beginning of the
Avignon Papacy,
Pope Clement V took up residence, along with the
Roman Curia, in Carpentras in 1313. His successor,
Pope John XXII, settled definitively at
Avignon.
The Hôtel de Ville and the Hôtel-Dieu The original north-facing section of the
Hôtel de Ville on Rue des Halles was completed in around 1740. The
Hôtel-Dieu on Place Aristide Briand was commissioned by Joseph-Dominique d'Inguimbert for use as a hospital and was built between 1750 and 1760. It now accommodates the
Bibliothèque Inguimbertine which
Jean-François Delmas, the chief librarian, has called "the oldest of our municipal libraries".
French Revolution and return to France Until 1791, Carpentras was part of the Papal States, not of the Kingdom of France. Like most communities across France, Carpentras played a role in the 1789-1799
French Revolution, particularly during the rule of the
French Directory. After the 'Anti-Royalist' September 4, 1797
Coup of 18 Fructidor, on October 22, 1797, counter-revolutionaries attacked the Hôtel de Ville.
Jewish community Into the 20th and 21st centuries, Carpentras has been an important centre of French
Judaism and is home to the oldest
synagogue in France, which opened in 1367. The Jewish cemetery was
desecrated by members of the
French and European Nationalist Party in May 1990, causing a public uproar and a demonstration in
Paris that was attended by 200,000 people, including then-president
François Mitterrand. ==Population==