Paris not the capital of the Parisii?

Rather startling news from Le Monde (our translation):

Was the present-day city of Nanterre (Hauts-de-Seine) the “capital” of the Parisii, Celtic ancestors of the people of the Ile de France, and not Lutèce [Roman Lutetia, the ancient name of Paris], as historic tradition has it? The hypothesis has been raised after the discovery, starting in 2003, of a vast Gallic settlement dating to the 2nd century BC in the northwest of the city, next to the Seine. . .

This was no mere village, but rather a dense urban cityscape, following strict planning rules. The buildings, of wood and wattle and daub, were laid out along a regular city plan, between two parallel cobblestoned streets, around a square plaza. Ditches, maintained and cleaned, carried waste water out of the area. Topping all, each house was equipped with a private well, dressed with stone. . .

Also remarkable is the simultaneous discovery of a Gallic necropolis next to the city, dating to the 4th century BC. The tombs around its periphery contain some thirty individuals, including warrior with swords, spears, and shields. . .

“Nanterre is the only important settlement that archeologists have identified in the territory of the Parisii. To date, no indication of any significant occupation predating the Roman conquest has ever been found on the île de la Cité”, stated Alain Bulard, of the regional directorate of cultural affairs.

For Antide Viand, the recent excavations appear to point to Nanterre as the main center of the Parisii. “Lutèce, on the île de la Cité, occupies only 8 hectares in a marshy area, while the site at Nanterre occupies over 15. Furthermore, the location of the site is remarkable: Nanterre, in a large loop of the Seine, was at the time a peninsula, easily defensible. In case of siege, this area’s diverse landscape – fields, meadows, forests – would have allowed the inhabitants to be self-sufficient. The Roman invaders would not have been able to ignore these factors”, explains M. Bulard.

ADDENDUM: A commentary with summary now at The Tufts Daily.

Posted by David on February 29, 2004 12:25 PM