AUTUN (Augustodunum)		Quality of Remains
		Ease of Access
		Atmosphere & Setting

History & Occupation:

Augustodunum (as the name suggests) was founded as a Roman civitas by the Emperor Augustus. It was the tribal capital of the Aedui (famed from Caesar's Gallic Wars) and had been a Gaulish oppidum before Roman influence took hold. The city prospered throughout the Roman period as is evidenced by its fine remains, and was noted as a centre of rhetoric. As with almost all French sites, the decline of Roman Autun came with the advent of barbarian raids in the fifth century.

Remains and Visit:

Autun is a fascinating city with remains from many ages but of particular note are the theatre, which is a good example, two city gates, of which the Port d'Arroux is particularly fine, and two temples across the river outside the city. One of these is now a rubble-core pyramid only, but the other, the Temple of Janus, is a very tall and imposing structure.

Images:

Gate	Theatre	Temples	Aerial view (c/o Google Earth)