re: #16 freetoken

Your next assignment will be to build Rome… in a day.

It’s interesting how some cultures are proud of their heritage, their past, and others attempt to cover it up, forget it, or at least minimize it.

A dear to my heart subject is how the French have managed to cover up the Roman’s historical background in the formation of the city of Paris. Sure, you can find the info in books, historians know of the Roman influence in the early stages of the city, but if you visit Paris, you will be hard pressed to find vestiges of Rome around the city.

Someone mentioned the forum at Rome above. Did you know that there is a whole Roman forum in Paris? About the size of two football fields. It’s on the left back, just south of St. Michael’s. Where you may ask… well it’s buried, and never excavated.

It now sits below ground, the main occupant is a large underground car park. If you know where to look, on one of the exit stairs of the car park, around the forth landing, is a clear glass panel, with a section of the remains of one of the walls of the forum. That’s it.

You can see a whole square block of Roman era ruins, right near Notre Dame, but I defy anyone to find the place. It sits under the large open plaza in front of the cathedral, underground and there is a staircase at the far west end of the plaza that allows access.

Did you know there is a gladiator arena in Paris? It’s on the left bank, near the Luxembourg Gardens, situated in a large courtyard between four tall apartment buildings.

I have a friend who works for a committee who attempts to keep the city from building over these Roman ruins. Sometimes they win, sometimes the loose, but it seems, at least in Paris, that the city is not very interested in it’s Roman heritage.

Lyon, Arles and many other smaller cities in France celebrate their archeological wonders, the coliseum in Arles is one of the largest in Europe. But in Paris, there is this Gallic pride that seems to want to make it appear that the wonders of Paris all just appear like magic, void of any outside influences.

If you’re ever headed to Paris, and want some info on where and what to see in regards to ancient Lutetia, give me a ring.