Marseille: A Late Antique Success Story?

摘要: Documentary and archaeological evidence concurs in placing the foundation of Marseille by colonists from Phocaea around 6oo B.C.1 The site can only have been chosen with an eye to its maritime commercial potential. Surrounded on landward side a chain hills, city's immediate hinterland was tiny, moderately fertile.2 Geographically, words Camille Jullian, 'Marseille ... semble tourner le dos 'a la Provence'.' But thanks magnificent, sheltered, deep-water harbour, now known as Vieux-Port, city has focal point for Mediterranean trade throughout long history, isolation not affected ability exploit Rhone corridor establish relations interior France. Its location makes it classic gateway community. From beginnings Phocaean colony until successive waves expansion early modern times, heart north bank where straddled series hills: west east, Buttes Saint-Laurent, Moulins, Carmes (Fig. i). Strabo summed up this setting south-facing theatre-like rock harbour at foot', indeed hills fell more directly water than they do today after centuries deposition, reclamation, redevelopment.4 In antiquity could pardonable exaggeration be described peninsula, because marshy creek, fed copious springs, flowed out into north-east corner port.5 wealth references late antique medieval sources activity guaranteed regular place works Henri Pirenne. Here recurs leitmotif, illustrative first persistence long-distance ultimately collapse.6 Surprisingly, however, somewhat neglected recent general studies phenomenon.7 emergence corpus material provides opportunity reappraisal other