When in Lugdunum

I said yesterday that I wanted to see Roman France this time around. So here are some pix of some of the remains of Lugdunum, which is what the Romans called this town back in the day. This was quite the metropolis for them—confluence of two rivers, ruling the three Gauls on behalf of the empire. Lots of art, commerce—the whole megillah.

So, here’s one of the big theatres carved into the hillside. This one seated about 10,000 and put on big performances—like dance and spectacles. There’s a smaller theatre next to it, where plays and lectures were put on.

It was quite the structure, with a permanent backdrop on the stage (by permanent, I mean apparently stone, or at least wood made to look like stone), which reflected sound up into the audience. I'm afraid that I didn't go to the odéon, the smaller theatre, because I was thinking that apparently those old Gallo-Romans didn't have arthritic knees.

The musée Gallo-Romain is conveniently situated next to the theatres, and I have to say it’s a fantastic museum. You spiral your way down the hillside without noticing, going from pre-history to the Romans to Christianity to the end. I may have taken a few photos.

This one's for the kids, illustrating the extent of the empire, but I quite liked it:

And here's a display about the history of the city. You can see the Rhône and the Saône rivers, and gauge how high the hills rise from the rivers. I climbed those hills.

Some gods; these are matres, fertility goddesses. I think they're holding apples in their laps.

Mercury, apparently a favorite of the Romans in Gaul. With his attack goat, of course.

Neptune

I think you can guess which goddess this is.

This is Diana.

Detail of her bow:

Not a god, but one in his own mind; Augustus:

Let's have some mosaics. Big one about the circus. (Circus = chariot racing.)

The Romans really liked their circuses. Here's a bas relief about them. But those drivers look a little young to have their chariot license.

Here's a mosaic with a fishy theme:

And details from it.

In addition to the permanent exhibits, the museum was displaying contemporary works, just kind of randomly interspersed with the regular things. Viz. this installation by Klára Hosnedlóva:

And this mosaic of the four seasons integrated with a piece by Toyin Ojih Odutola:

And another mosaic:

The Romans also apparently liked a good cow. Well, who doesn't?

I'll end with the death mask of a woman named Claudia Victoria.