Editions Alcide are reissuing Nîmes la romaine, a book signed by the historian Éric Teyssier which develops the history of the city from the 7th BC to the 8th AD.
Éric Teyssier, where it all began for Nîmes (Photo Archives Anthony Maurin) • Anthony MAURIN
This is a lovely gift that will last a long time and make children dream. Like a storybook, why not read a few pages of this work to toddlers so that they can imagine the Nîmes of yesteryear? For teenagers, reading will be pleasant although very complete. Finally, for adults, what a pleasure to have on hand this precious tome which answers almost all the questions one could ask about the history of the city.
Alcide, a Nîmes publishing house, was born in Nîmes and talks about local life through numerous stratagems. Yann Cruvellier, the founder, and his authors, take great pleasure in destabilizing the reader by offering him a magnificent photo book, a historical novel and, as is the case today, the reissue of a mass information written by a historian.
« 2014-2024. It has been ten years since we published the first edition of Nîmes la Romaine. Immediately becoming a reference book, its success has never wavered, with more than 6,000 copies sold » affirms Yann Cruvellier serenely.
It is certain that such a work has become for lovers of Nîmes, a sort of bedside book, even a gift book that is offered to anyone who might be interested in the vast subject.
Nîmes la romaine, by Eric Teyssier published by Alcide (Photo Anthony Maurin)
But a book must live, be updated. For the publisher, “ Why a reissue? As surprising as it may seem, ancient history evolves quickly, much faster than contemporary history. Indeed, an archaeological discovery can change or confirm a page of history. Thus, when the first edition came out in 2014, historians thought it likely that the Saracens stopped in Nîmes at the beginning of the 7th century, before being chased out by Charles Martel. But no proof. However, excavations have since led to the discovery of Muslim tombs and thus confirmed the Saracen presence in Nîmes. This is the case with Roman history in general, whether in Pompeii or in the city of the crocodile. »
Nîmes, still today, is located at a crossroads. To the south, the Mediterranean and the hostile and wild Camargue. To the east, a fantasized Provence bordered by the Rhône. To the west, the gentle Languedoc and, to the north, the rugged Cévennes. Roman Nîmes lays the foundations of this territorial diversity.
The first steps in the history of Nîmes… (Photo Anthony Maurin)
Associate and doctor in history, Éric Teyssier is a university professor in Roman history which he teaches, as well as experimental archeology and the history of ancient art, in Nîmes. He is the author of reference books on gladiators and noted biographies of Spartacus, Pompey, Commodus…
And many references from Alcide, notably Arles la Romaine and quite a bit of participation in the brilliant Youth collection. A rich iconography embellished with new maps and historical landmarks illustrates this astonishing story.
Back to basics. The golden age of ancient Nîmes began at the turn of our era, during the reign of Augustus, shortly after the death of Caesar, and continued until the 2nd century. It was at this time that the city was adorned with its exceptional and emblematic monuments, the Maison Carrée and the arenas.
The Pont du Gard is the major work of art of an aqueduct of around fifty kilometers responsible for bringing the water which then supplies the fountains but also the thermal baths and the most beautiful residences of Nîmes.
Some beauties mentioned (Photo Anthony Maurin)
How did Nîmes become a leading Latin colony? Its enclosure, of which the Magne tower is the most exemplary of the towers, was one of the most important in the entire Roman Empire. What Gallic city was it previously? How did the Roman “conquest” take place? Was a Roman emperor truly from Nîmes? Is this the reason for this splendor?
« Here's how and why historian Éric Teyssier reshaped or modified a quarter of the text and expanded the whole for a welcome update. We took the opportunity to air and lighten the work, always looking for greater comfort for the reader. » explains Yann Cruvellier.
Éric Teyssier (Photo Archives Anthony Maurin) • Anthony MAURIN
In a captivating fresco where the great History meets that of the city, Éric Teyssier recounts a 1,500-year adventure, from the origins of the sacred source of La Fontaine, which founded the city of Nemausus, to the virtual disappearance of Nîmes in the middle of the 8th century.
From the Etruscans to the Greeks, from the Gauls to the Romans, to the Visigoths and Saracens: this singular epic sees, among others, Hannibal, Marius, Pompey, Caesar, Vercingetorix, Augustus, Cleopatra and the Antonine dynasty from which Nîmes draws today its nickname of “city of the Antonines”.
Nîmes la Romaine, by Éric Teyssier, published by Alcide. 320 pages for 24.90 euros.
