The submerged monumental complex of the roman harbour of Fossae Marianae, Gulf of Fos, France. An overview of preliminary results
Résumé
In the Gulf of Fos (southern France), lie the remains of one of the main harbours of the northwestern Mediterranean dating to the Roman period, ideally located at an entrance to the Rhone Valley. This statio, mentioned by ancient authors, is situated at the end of the Fossae Marianae, a presumed canal dug by Marius to avoid the dangers of the Rhone river delta. Known since the 19th century, widely looted since the 1950s, and very partially studied, the port site, now submerged in 1‑4 m of water, covers nearly 40 hectares. The resumption of fieldwork and multidisciplinary studies undertaken since 2014 have led to the identification of a large-scale monumental complex in the centre of Saint-Gervais bay.