Abingdonian 2018

9 www.abingdon.org.uk Michaelmas Term We also visited the remains of the old Roman town in Vaison-la-Romaine, including a beautiful mosaic of a peacock. The Romans also built a bridge there which, although built 2,000 years ago, has survived numerous floods which modern bridges have not withstood. A prominent feature of Roman rule was the celebration of success in war, not least since many of the towns were built around a core of veteran soldiers. The triumphal arch at Orange was built to honour those veterans who had fought against the German tribes in the Gallic Wars. The carved panels depict scenes of military victory: the chained prisoners, war chariots, and captured shields were a stark reminder to the local population of Roman prowess in war. Another stunning building we observed in Nîmes was the Maison Carrée, a Roman temple dedicated to the adopted grandsons of Augustus who both died at a young age. We were reminded that thanks to the Pax Romana (the peace created as a result of the Roman conquest of Gaul), the local population could develop their culture and peacefully trade with each other rather than put their resources into fighting nearby tribes. We all thoroughly enjoyed the trip and seeing a great variety of monuments, built to last and to show off the power and wealth of the Roman Empire. Being there helped to understand the scale in which the Romans built and their ambition to impose their way of life over their conquered territories, a way of life which has continued to shape Provence until the modern day. Danny Lloyd, 7OTL