Mandeure - Epomanduodorum Roman Theatre

View of the remains of the Roman Theatre at Mandeure from the West

As I have already related, the first city of the Sequanii was called Vesontio which is situated on the site of the modern city of Besancon. To the north east and further up the river Doubs can be found the second city of the Sequanii, known then as Epomanduodorum.

The site of Epomanduodorum is close to the modern city of Montbelliard, and located between the villages of Mandeure and Mathay, and is situated on the inside of a long sweeping meandering bend in the river Doubs. The Roman theatre can be found just outside Mandeure and has had a mixed history of discovery and rediscovery. The first recorded archaeological discovery at Mandeure, a hoard of coin, was in 1548. However, it was not until later in the 16th century that Frederic de Wurtenburg-Montbeliard ordered that excavations take place on the site. Excavations back then revealed the remains of many Roman buildings, carved stone and masonry, coloured marble and rare stones, and an inscription recording the a donation made by one Flavius Catullus for the decoration of the thermes in marble.

Views from the existing top ridge of the Theatre

Interest was revived in the site and the Roman theatre again in 1820 when the hillside, known locally as the "cirque" was investigated and excavations have taken place there on a sporadic basis over the last two hundred years. In 1889 fragments of colossal statues were unearthed on a scale similar to those discovered recently at Sagalossos in Turkey, and some of these fragments can be found at the Musee du Chateau des Ducs de Wurtenburg, Montbeliard.

The size of the Roman theatre, being a public building, would suggest that Epomanduodorum was a substantial town. While not a civitas as Vesontio was, Epamanduodorum thrived during the 2nd Century A.D. when this part of the Roman Empire was relatively settled. The site appears to have had some strategic or commercial significance for the Romans. Its position and proximity to the Doubs must be relevant. Indeed the Doubs river may have been an important trading route and means of transport giving easy access though the region.

What is certain, is the fact that the town was a noteworthy stop on a Roman route. The Tabula Peutingeriana records a town by the name of Epomanduo on a route running between Matricorum (Metz) and Augusta Rauricum (Kaiseraugst). One issue that arises when one considers the map is that the Doubs is not represented, while rivers and other waterways are referred to on the map. The schematic nature of the map, its scale, and the fact that it may be a combination or conglomerate of other original maps, may be taken into account when one considers the relative positioning of Epomanduo, other towns, and the omission of the river Doubs and other important topography.

The proximity of the Rhine would strongly suggest that the armies were based in these towns and lived in peace with and alongside the local population. The Roman settlements to be found between Vesontio and Augusta Ruaricum, known in French archaeological terms as the "arc juracienne", are notable for their romanisation with significant structures such as theatres and amphitheatres, which the armies were capable of building, possibly with a view to winning the "hearts and minds" of the Sequanii, Ruracii, and Helvetii tribes in return for their loyalty, but it is likely that they were also be used to entertain the armies while wintering in these locations. The remains of other Roman theatres have been found in the region at Augusta Ruracum and Aventicum [Avenches], and both measure approximately 120 meters in diameter.

The period of transition and romanisation began early after the initial conquests and one indication of this transition is marked by the romainisation of the name of the local chief of the Sequanii. Inscriptions on coins from the period of "TOGIRIX", in the 50s A.D., were gradually changed to "Q. IULIUS TOGIRIX". This romanisation and development did not take place to the exclusion of, or replace the indigenous cults and beliefs, because the remains of a substantial Gallic sanctuary and temple, which was constructed in the Gallo-roman period, is located 300 meters to the west of the theatre.

The Roman theatre at Epomanduodorum measures 142 meters across and in excess of 25 meters in height. It is estimated to have been capable of seating in excess of 20,000 people, far greater than Mandeure's population today, which is in the region of 5000 people. The dimensions available suggest that this was one of the largest theatres built in Roman Gaul. Only the Roman theatre at Augustodunum [Autun] is bigger at 148 meters. While the Roman theatre at Vienne (just south of Lyon) measures in the region of 130 meters across. (A partially excavated structure reported to be a theatre in Meaux is reported to be in the region of 150 metres in diameter).

Be cause of the variation in size of theatres that have been built throughout Gaul, one consideration which comes to mind is the possibility that the size of the theatre or amphitheatre in a particular town may be linked to the number of soldiers based there and not just simply dependent on the number of inhabitants normally living in that town. Obviously, a town's population would swell in winter months due to the fact that the armies were not likely to be on campaign and this would also effect the size of an audience at a theatre.

View from the south looking across the remains of the scaenae frons

View looking down towards the vomitoria on the south side of the theatre

Excavated and partially restored vomitoria on the north side of the theatre

Excavated wall which follows ridge line around the theatre

Part of an excavated outer wall set behind the ridge and the wall in the above photograph

Like many Roman theatres the example at Epomanduodorum was constructed using the natural sloping hillside to support the main body of the theatre or auditorium, and four layers of seating or cavea. Very few theatres were built freestanding, because these would have been very expensive and time consuming to construct. The surrounding walls of the theatre would have been articulated with four levels of arcading. At either end of the theatre there are the remains of structures which provided a means of access and egress to and form the cavea, and these were known as vomitoria. The upper level, would have originally run most of the way around the theater, was used as a walkway and would have had a roof.

Visiting the site today you cannot but be impressed by the scale of the theatre and the panoramic views from the top of the hill across the Franche-Comte countryside, and along the Doubs. There is little evidence of the town of Epomanduodorum across the fields and pasture that exist today, and it is easy to conceive how this structure became overgrown and was lost for just over a thousand years following the collapse of the Roman control in this area in the 4th century A.D.