1 00:00:06,682 --> 00:00:08,309 A city of light and shade, 2 00:00:08,768 --> 00:00:13,105 Paris always surprises those who take the time to look. 3 00:00:17,568 --> 00:00:19,529 To journey through the capital's history 4 00:00:19,695 --> 00:00:22,698 is to search for the traces of its age-old past. 5 00:00:22,865 --> 00:00:24,492 Grasping the essence of Paris 6 00:00:24,700 --> 00:00:28,120 involves finding the matrix of this city through the ages... 7 00:00:28,579 --> 00:00:31,457 because Paris has stood the test of time. 8 00:00:32,667 --> 00:00:35,294 From the Gaulish oppidum and the Gallo-Roman civitas 9 00:00:35,503 --> 00:00:38,214 to the intellectual and religious center of the Middle Ages, 10 00:00:38,923 --> 00:00:42,635 Paris grew into one of the most important cities in the Western world. 11 00:00:43,177 --> 00:00:47,139 It acquired the attributes of a powerful and monumental metropolis. 12 00:01:01,237 --> 00:01:03,614 From the pomp of monarchical absolutism 13 00:01:03,781 --> 00:01:07,660 and the excesses of the Empire period to the capital of modern revolutions, 14 00:01:08,244 --> 00:01:11,080 Paris has exerted an enormous influence throughout the world. 15 00:01:11,789 --> 00:01:14,500 It has been at the vanguard of change. 16 00:01:16,335 --> 00:01:16,919 Today, 17 00:01:17,211 --> 00:01:20,298 the capital is seeking new challenges. 18 00:01:23,801 --> 00:01:27,471 In the year 508, Clovis made Paris the seat of his kingdom. 19 00:01:28,389 --> 00:01:32,518 But how could this modest-sized town be the capital of the Franks? 20 00:01:32,685 --> 00:01:35,605 We need to go back to the origins of Paris. 21 00:01:54,498 --> 00:01:57,710 PARIS A capital tale 22 00:02:16,771 --> 00:02:20,608 PARIS Capital of change 23 00:02:22,401 --> 00:02:27,406 3000 BC 24 00:02:38,250 --> 00:02:42,088 In the Neolithic period, the Seine, a river dotted with islands, 25 00:02:42,254 --> 00:02:44,966 flows through a marshy plain. 26 00:03:01,607 --> 00:03:03,985 Hunter-gatherer tribes from Central Europe 27 00:03:04,151 --> 00:03:05,569 settle on its banks. 28 00:03:07,780 --> 00:03:09,323 Competition for food often leads 29 00:03:09,490 --> 00:03:11,158 to fierce fighting. 30 00:03:53,576 --> 00:03:56,203 In Prehistoric times, the presence of the river 31 00:03:56,370 --> 00:03:58,748 offered favorable conditions for human settlement. 32 00:04:01,292 --> 00:04:02,835 The Seine's banks and islands 33 00:04:03,002 --> 00:04:04,837 provided natural protection 34 00:04:05,004 --> 00:04:05,921 against invaders. 35 00:04:10,676 --> 00:04:12,136 In the 1990, 36 00:04:12,303 --> 00:04:16,724 archeological digs revealed the remains of wooden structures. 37 00:04:16,974 --> 00:04:20,603 On the edge of a channel, near the banks of the Seine at Bercy, 38 00:04:20,770 --> 00:04:22,897 the ground bore traces of buildings. 39 00:04:23,147 --> 00:04:26,108 Was this the site of the first settlement in Paris? 40 00:04:29,695 --> 00:04:32,782 But the most remarkable find was that of a number of dugouts, 41 00:04:32,948 --> 00:04:37,870 each hewn from a single oak log and several thousand years old. 42 00:04:38,037 --> 00:04:40,206 Built for fishing and transporting goods, 43 00:04:40,372 --> 00:04:44,251 these vessels are a sign of an organized and ingenious society. 44 00:05:02,478 --> 00:05:07,358 With its ever-changing moods, riches and unpredictable rises in water level 45 00:05:07,525 --> 00:05:10,277 the Seine is the city's lifeblood. 46 00:05:10,653 --> 00:05:13,280 The constant to and fro of boats along the river 47 00:05:13,447 --> 00:05:16,367 provided a village with supplies and protection. 48 00:05:17,409 --> 00:05:20,121 The Seine, where everything began... 49 00:05:35,261 --> 00:05:36,512 Researchers now ponder 50 00:05:36,679 --> 00:05:39,431 when these Celtic populations first appeared. 51 00:05:40,391 --> 00:05:42,101 Here opinions differ. 52 00:05:42,268 --> 00:05:44,645 For some, they settled in 3000 BC, 53 00:05:44,645 --> 00:05:48,315 for others, it was as early as 6000 BC. 54 00:05:48,899 --> 00:05:50,901 The question has yet to be answered. 55 00:05:51,068 --> 00:05:54,029 What is certain is that they had been here for a very long time 56 00:05:54,196 --> 00:05:56,699 when Caesar sent his legions to Lutetia. 57 00:05:56,866 --> 00:06:00,494 They had not been here for a few decades, or even a few centuries, 58 00:06:00,661 --> 00:06:03,706 but for at least one thousand years. 59 00:06:05,583 --> 00:06:08,836 At the crossroads of the different regions of Hirsute Gaul, 60 00:06:09,086 --> 00:06:13,757 named as much for its endless forests as for its long-haired inhabitants, 61 00:06:13,966 --> 00:06:16,802 Lutetia occupied a privileged position. 62 00:06:18,095 --> 00:06:20,431 Protected by the two arms of the Seine, 63 00:06:20,598 --> 00:06:23,767 was the He de la Cité actually the birthplace of Paris? 64 00:06:24,351 --> 00:06:27,313 The lie de la Cité, which became more important in medieval times, 65 00:06:27,479 --> 00:06:30,149 has often been cited as the location of Lutetia. 66 00:06:30,316 --> 00:06:34,069 Why? Because Caesar mentioned a town on an island in the Seine, 67 00:06:34,236 --> 00:06:36,488 and it has always appeared as the largest. 68 00:06:36,655 --> 00:06:41,118 In fact, the configuration of the river in ancient times, 69 00:06:41,285 --> 00:06:42,995 was not the same as it is today. 70 00:06:43,162 --> 00:06:45,331 It was far more changeable, with secondary arms 71 00:06:45,497 --> 00:06:48,834 around pieces of land of varying sizes. 72 00:06:49,001 --> 00:06:51,086 There were others, on the site of Paris itself, 73 00:06:51,253 --> 00:06:54,965 on the right bank of the Seine, in the district of Rivoli-St Martin, 74 00:06:55,132 --> 00:06:57,509 where there are traces of an ancient Gaulish settlement. 75 00:06:58,052 --> 00:07:00,804 Archeological remains found on the He de la Cité, 76 00:07:00,971 --> 00:07:04,141 for now at least, are not sufficiently convincing or numerous enough 77 00:07:04,308 --> 00:07:08,312 for us to say that it was the location of a great capital of the sort 78 00:07:08,479 --> 00:07:13,400 founded elsewhere in France by tribes such as the Arvenii and the Aedui. 79 00:07:19,907 --> 00:07:23,202 No convincing archeological or historical traces 80 00:07:23,369 --> 00:07:27,414 have revealed an urban presence on the lie de la Cité. 81 00:07:30,209 --> 00:07:33,712 The absence of remains arouses curiosity. 82 00:07:33,879 --> 00:07:38,717 What if the Lutetia of pre-Roman Gaul never existed? 83 00:07:42,054 --> 00:07:43,889 The Lutetia of pre-Roman Gaul 84 00:07:44,056 --> 00:07:44,848 is not a myth. 85 00:07:45,015 --> 00:07:49,395 Caesar mentioned it by name in 53 BC and again in 52 BC. 86 00:07:49,561 --> 00:07:53,983 The problem we face today is locating this capital beneath a vast city center 87 00:07:54,149 --> 00:07:56,277 that has had a long history, grown over the centuries, 88 00:07:56,443 --> 00:07:59,113 and which, as a result, is like a kind of palimpsest. 89 00:07:59,280 --> 00:08:03,409 That's to say, there is a succession of layers, firstly of alluvial deposits 90 00:08:03,575 --> 00:08:08,080 then of buildings from the Roman era, Middle Ages, modern times, 91 00:08:08,247 --> 00:08:12,835 under which it is very difficult to find the traces, the signs of this Lutetia. 92 00:08:13,002 --> 00:08:15,838 They exist but they are faint and very scattered. 93 00:08:18,799 --> 00:08:23,762 It was Jules Caesar who first mentioned the Lutetia of the Parisii: 94 00:08:23,971 --> 00:08:27,933 river traders who lived in a fortified settlement near the Seine. 95 00:08:29,226 --> 00:08:31,103 Set between the hills and the plains, 96 00:08:31,270 --> 00:08:35,316 it was the ideal location for a military observation post, an oppidum, 97 00:08:35,482 --> 00:08:37,901 from which to control the Seine. 98 00:08:39,903 --> 00:08:41,613 During Caesar's campaigns, 99 00:08:41,822 --> 00:08:45,826 the river remained a strategically important transport route. 100 00:08:46,869 --> 00:08:48,287 When the Roman troops arrived, 101 00:08:48,454 --> 00:08:52,207 the Parisii's city was a regional market town with a large sanctuary. 102 00:08:54,501 --> 00:08:57,629 In this holy place, the Gaulish chiefs held feasts 103 00:08:57,796 --> 00:09:00,799 and sacrificed animals in the name of their gods. 104 00:09:04,970 --> 00:09:08,265 This stronghold was inhabited by formidable traders 105 00:09:08,432 --> 00:09:11,810 who even minted their own money: the stater. 106 00:09:27,159 --> 00:09:31,306 Three of these Parisii staters were found 107 00:09:31,332 --> 00:09:35,551 during road works on the Boulevard Raspail 108 00:09:35,576 --> 00:09:37,576 between 1910 and 1912. 109 00:09:46,422 --> 00:09:54,653 It's an expression of the wealth and power of the Parisii, 110 00:09:54,853 --> 00:10:00,359 which shows how important this tribe was in the first century BC, 111 00:10:01,318 --> 00:10:03,654 at the time of Caesar's conquest. 112 00:10:05,656 --> 00:10:07,699 It also represents the economic power 113 00:10:07,866 --> 00:10:09,785 of this population. 114 00:10:11,578 --> 00:10:14,331 Was Lutetia already a capital? 115 00:10:16,291 --> 00:10:18,836 The Parisii along this section of the Seine 116 00:10:19,002 --> 00:10:21,463 did not constitute one of the largest cities of Gaul 117 00:10:21,630 --> 00:10:24,675 that took on Caesar from 58 BC onwards. 118 00:10:24,842 --> 00:10:27,428 It was a medium-sized city, even a small city, 119 00:10:27,678 --> 00:10:29,054 but it was still able, for instance, 120 00:10:29,221 --> 00:10:31,098 to supply a contingent of 8000 men 121 00:10:31,265 --> 00:10:33,851 at the time of Vercingetorix's rebellion. 122 00:10:34,017 --> 00:10:38,522 And it is thought the population numbered several tens of thousands. 123 00:10:38,689 --> 00:10:41,233 It is very difficult now to estimate the actual number, 124 00:10:41,400 --> 00:10:45,571 but it was a large territory with settlements in different areas, 125 00:10:45,737 --> 00:10:49,241 not just in Paris but also in Nanterre, Bobigny, 126 00:10:49,408 --> 00:10:51,243 Roissy and Cheesy. 127 00:10:52,286 --> 00:10:55,622 So there was a whole network of settlements on this territory 128 00:10:55,789 --> 00:11:00,419 which, because it was not very wide, seems to have been densely populated. 129 00:11:01,336 --> 00:11:05,048 As for Lutetia, it was mentioned at the time of the Battle of Lutetia, 130 00:11:05,215 --> 00:11:09,261 at the time of the city's destruction, because there was a great fire, 131 00:11:09,428 --> 00:11:13,682 and when this Gaulish town gave way to a small Roman capital. 132 00:11:19,521 --> 00:11:24,026 52 BC 133 00:11:25,068 --> 00:11:26,945 Intent on conquering Gaul, 134 00:11:27,112 --> 00:11:31,325 Julius Caesar has his work cut out for him with Vercingetorix. 135 00:11:31,492 --> 00:11:35,454 The Roman emperor asks Titus Labienus to fight Lutetia. 136 00:11:37,122 --> 00:11:39,500 Facing him, the old chief Camulogene 137 00:11:39,666 --> 00:11:42,628 leads the fierce resistance of the Parisii. 138 00:11:43,003 --> 00:11:47,674 Taken from the rear, the Lutetians burn their city to the ground. 139 00:11:47,841 --> 00:11:50,802 In October 52 BC, in Alesia, 140 00:11:50,969 --> 00:11:55,015 Vercingetorix lays down his arms before Caesar. 141 00:11:55,349 --> 00:11:57,643 Gaul submits to Roman rule. 142 00:11:57,851 --> 00:12:00,187 What happens to Lutetia? 143 00:12:01,146 --> 00:12:02,981 The question is did Labienus, 144 00:12:03,148 --> 00:12:06,693 when he defeated this coalition of tribes led by the Parisii, 145 00:12:06,860 --> 00:12:09,696 leave a contingent there to guard the city? 146 00:12:09,863 --> 00:12:12,824 Or was the city emptied of its inhabitants? 147 00:12:14,701 --> 00:12:17,496 Finds made in the Mount St Genevieve Luxembourg Gardens sector 148 00:12:17,663 --> 00:12:20,499 lead us to suppose that this area corresponds exactly 149 00:12:20,666 --> 00:12:25,879 to the location of one or indeed several, of Labenius's camps. 150 00:12:26,838 --> 00:12:28,966 This military camp of Labenius was the embryo, 151 00:12:29,132 --> 00:12:33,595 the nucleus from which the Gallo-Roman city of Lutetia grew. 152 00:12:37,808 --> 00:12:40,852 Although the whole of Gaul was now under Roman rule, 153 00:12:41,019 --> 00:12:44,022 Lutetia was not a capital city. 154 00:12:45,315 --> 00:12:47,025 Compared with the great provincial capitals 155 00:12:47,234 --> 00:12:49,653 such as Rheims and Lugdunum, 156 00:12:49,820 --> 00:12:52,030 Lutetia was only an administrative center. 157 00:12:52,197 --> 00:12:56,618 It was absolutely not a capital at this time. That would come later. 158 00:12:56,785 --> 00:13:00,372 For the simple reason that, from a strategic, geostrategic point of view, 159 00:13:00,539 --> 00:13:03,625 Lutetia was not in the center of the territory that was Gaul. 160 00:13:03,792 --> 00:13:06,378 Lyons was in much a better position, 161 00:13:06,545 --> 00:13:09,172 a day's horse ride from the four provinces. 162 00:13:14,845 --> 00:13:18,473 Following the destruction of the oppidum, in 52 BC, 163 00:13:18,640 --> 00:13:22,227 a long period of trouble ensues in the Roman Empire. 164 00:13:22,603 --> 00:13:25,063 Some Gaulish aristocrats are even enlisted 165 00:13:25,230 --> 00:13:28,734 as cavalrymen by Octavius, the new Caesar. 166 00:13:28,900 --> 00:13:30,277 With the return of peace, 167 00:13:30,444 --> 00:13:33,572 Gaul has to be organized under Rome's authority. 168 00:13:33,739 --> 00:13:37,492 In 5 AD, these Romanized Gauls return home. 169 00:13:48,211 --> 00:13:52,132 Brother! It's been so long since I've seen your face. 170 00:14:00,641 --> 00:14:02,184 Getting my military certificate. 171 00:14:02,351 --> 00:14:06,271 Auxiliary Julius. Galiacus Cohort. Third Legion. 172 00:14:07,648 --> 00:14:09,191 I served in the wars 173 00:14:09,358 --> 00:14:10,984 and even beheaded men in Rome. 174 00:14:11,151 --> 00:14:13,320 All in the name of Caesar. 175 00:14:13,487 --> 00:14:15,906 Rome'? What is it like? 176 00:14:16,198 --> 00:14:18,200 I'll describe the arena. 177 00:14:20,243 --> 00:14:23,163 Imagine a man with black skin, 178 00:14:23,330 --> 00:14:25,957 chained in the center of the arena. 179 00:14:26,792 --> 00:14:29,127 A small blade his only weapon. 180 00:14:29,294 --> 00:14:33,507 And then, they send in an enraged elephant. 181 00:14:35,676 --> 00:14:38,136 Always the same sad outcome: 182 00:14:38,637 --> 00:14:40,722 the elephant crushes him. 183 00:14:41,848 --> 00:14:43,183 What's the point? 184 00:14:43,350 --> 00:14:44,810 To entertain people. 185 00:14:45,977 --> 00:14:49,314 I've heard that the arena can hold 50,000 Romans. 186 00:14:49,481 --> 00:14:51,316 50,000'? 187 00:14:51,483 --> 00:14:53,110 This oppidum has barely... 188 00:14:53,276 --> 00:14:55,445 There's also a Via Maximus, 189 00:14:55,612 --> 00:14:57,864 a road where you walk on stones. 190 00:14:59,032 --> 00:15:01,910 We could have a Via Maximus 191 00:15:02,077 --> 00:15:03,328 that reaches from here to the Forum. 192 00:15:03,704 --> 00:15:05,205 The Forum? 193 00:15:05,372 --> 00:15:07,791 The Forum Magnum. It has everything: 194 00:15:07,999 --> 00:15:09,835 food to eat, animals to buy, 195 00:15:10,001 --> 00:15:12,337 schools for him, the Temple of Mars. 196 00:15:12,504 --> 00:15:15,006 And drink. They have taverns where you drink. 197 00:15:15,173 --> 00:15:18,385 Your Forum is like our entire village covered with a roof. 198 00:15:18,760 --> 00:15:19,636 Julius, 199 00:15:19,803 --> 00:15:23,682 we live in the middle of nowhere. Wouldn't you rather live in Rome'? 200 00:15:24,307 --> 00:15:25,934 If I come back to Lutetia, 201 00:15:26,101 --> 00:15:28,186 it is to do business for the Romans. 202 00:15:28,353 --> 00:15:30,647 What would you have us sell to them? 203 00:15:31,148 --> 00:15:33,066 Your barley beer, your pottery? 204 00:15:33,567 --> 00:15:35,193 Fabrics? 205 00:15:35,444 --> 00:15:38,822 Using the river, we could deliver to Lugdunum. And from there, 206 00:15:38,989 --> 00:15:39,823 Rome. 207 00:15:39,990 --> 00:15:42,451 And use the profits to build thermal baths. 208 00:15:42,617 --> 00:15:44,327 What's that? Thermal baths? 209 00:15:44,536 --> 00:15:47,038 Baths with warm water from the ground. 210 00:15:47,205 --> 00:15:50,167 Once we build them, people will be able to wash 211 00:15:50,876 --> 00:15:52,335 once a month. 212 00:15:55,881 --> 00:15:57,215 Every regional capital in Gaul, 213 00:15:57,424 --> 00:16:00,677 but also elsewhere in the Roman Empire, was based on the same model, 214 00:16:00,844 --> 00:16:04,389 like a miniature reproduction of the city of Rome 215 00:16:04,556 --> 00:16:06,475 and its political system. 216 00:16:09,478 --> 00:16:13,523 In the first century AD, the face of Lutetia changes: 217 00:16:13,690 --> 00:16:16,651 Gaulish houses are replaced by Roman buildings. 218 00:16:16,818 --> 00:16:19,738 The architects design the city to match its status 219 00:16:19,905 --> 00:16:22,240 as the administrative center of the Parisii. 220 00:16:22,407 --> 00:16:24,785 The Cardo Maximus, the main artery, 221 00:16:24,951 --> 00:16:28,163 runs through the center of the city from north to south. 222 00:16:28,330 --> 00:16:30,457 The left bank becomes the city's hub. 223 00:16:33,585 --> 00:16:36,004 Lutetia was planned around a main axis 224 00:16:36,004 --> 00:16:39,711 This street was probably a 225 00:16:39,737 --> 00:16:43,870 Gaulish roadway originally. 226 00:16:44,012 --> 00:16:46,223 From the summit of Mount St Genevieve, 227 00:16:46,389 --> 00:16:50,769 located around 172-174 Rue St Jacques, 228 00:16:50,936 --> 00:16:53,271 a road was built down to the Seine. 229 00:16:54,564 --> 00:16:56,942 This was this first axis. 230 00:16:57,108 --> 00:16:58,610 The central part of the city 231 00:16:58,777 --> 00:17:02,447 was planned on a grid system around this axis. 232 00:17:04,241 --> 00:17:05,116 On the left bank, 233 00:17:05,283 --> 00:17:07,953 the city was based on the Roman model. 234 00:17:08,620 --> 00:17:10,914 Perpendicular to the first axis, 235 00:17:11,081 --> 00:17:15,710 Lutetia's main arteries followed an orthogonal pattern. 236 00:17:16,962 --> 00:17:18,129 The city was developed 237 00:17:18,296 --> 00:17:21,341 around a grid system with blocks of housing: 238 00:17:21,508 --> 00:17:24,177 the ancient districts of Paris. 239 00:17:26,012 --> 00:17:28,265 All of the city's monumental architecture 240 00:17:28,431 --> 00:17:30,851 was built around the north-south axis, 241 00:17:31,101 --> 00:17:32,310 where the Rue St Jacques, 242 00:17:32,477 --> 00:17:36,147 the Rue de la Cité and the Rue St Martin now lie. 243 00:17:41,319 --> 00:17:42,863 Monuments were also erected 244 00:17:43,113 --> 00:17:45,824 at the different main intersections. 245 00:17:45,991 --> 00:17:49,077 As in every Roman city, Lutetia had its Forum 246 00:17:49,077 --> 00:17:50,579 and buildings devoted to 247 00:17:50,605 --> 00:17:52,856 entertainment, such as a theater, 248 00:17:52,998 --> 00:17:54,082 an amphitheater... 249 00:17:55,250 --> 00:17:56,877 And an arena! 250 00:17:57,460 --> 00:17:59,129 As was the Roman custom, 251 00:17:59,296 --> 00:18:01,840 they were located outside the center of Lutetia 252 00:18:02,007 --> 00:18:04,843 because human blood was spilled there. 253 00:18:07,804 --> 00:18:11,349 This arena contributed to the city's cultural vitality. 254 00:18:11,850 --> 00:18:13,852 Almost 18,000 people would come 255 00:18:14,019 --> 00:18:17,564 from all over the area to watch the shows in Lutetia. 256 00:18:18,023 --> 00:18:22,611 The structure was one of the largest amphitheaters in Gaul at the time. 257 00:18:26,114 --> 00:18:29,659 An imposing wall marked the location of the stage. 258 00:18:29,826 --> 00:18:34,039 Its monumental facade was decorated with statues of emperors and divinities 259 00:18:34,205 --> 00:18:37,584 like so many witnesses to the staging of the city. 260 00:18:44,424 --> 00:18:46,134 Both a circus and a theater, 261 00:18:46,301 --> 00:18:48,428 the most extraordinary shows were put on here 262 00:18:48,595 --> 00:18:51,306 much to the delight of the Lutetians. 263 00:18:51,473 --> 00:18:53,266 Great plays sung in Latin, 264 00:18:53,433 --> 00:18:56,519 dance and acrobatic numbers and most importantly, 265 00:18:56,937 --> 00:18:59,648 gladiator fights and wild animal fights, 266 00:18:59,814 --> 00:19:03,109 trophies from the Roman conquest of Africa and the Orient. 267 00:19:17,415 --> 00:19:20,919 By offering bread and games to the populations under their rule, 268 00:19:21,086 --> 00:19:25,048 the Romans entertained their subjects and secured their loyalty. 269 00:19:25,966 --> 00:19:28,176 On the top of Mount St Genevieve, 270 00:19:28,343 --> 00:19:30,345 one monument in particular symbolized 271 00:19:30,512 --> 00:19:32,806 the power and grandeur of this city: 272 00:19:32,973 --> 00:19:34,808 the Forum. 273 00:19:45,694 --> 00:19:49,197 The Forum was the city's political and administrative center. 274 00:19:49,364 --> 00:19:52,075 Commercial transactions took place there. 275 00:19:52,242 --> 00:19:54,953 But it was also a very ostentatious way 276 00:19:55,120 --> 00:19:56,830 of demonstrating Rome's power, 277 00:19:56,997 --> 00:20:02,335 of showing that Gaul had become part of a new political and religious order. 278 00:20:02,502 --> 00:20:04,212 The gods were Roman now. 279 00:20:04,379 --> 00:20:06,673 Administration was now in the hands of Rome, 280 00:20:06,840 --> 00:20:09,217 of the provincial governor. 281 00:20:09,384 --> 00:20:12,053 So this was where this radical change in order 282 00:20:12,220 --> 00:20:16,683 was demonstrated in a spectacular, monumental manner. 283 00:20:20,812 --> 00:20:23,565 Together with the Temple of Augustus and the basilica, 284 00:20:23,732 --> 00:20:25,191 from where the city was managed, 285 00:20:25,358 --> 00:20:28,862 the Forum was Lutetia's political and religious heart. 286 00:20:29,029 --> 00:20:31,322 The citizens would meet here to hold ceremonies, 287 00:20:31,489 --> 00:20:34,743 discuss their business and the affairs of the city. 288 00:20:37,954 --> 00:20:40,582 Colonnaded shopping galleries ran along 289 00:20:40,749 --> 00:20:41,791 the outside wall. 290 00:20:43,043 --> 00:20:44,461 In the shops and taverns, 291 00:20:44,627 --> 00:20:46,588 the Lutetians did their daily shopping, 292 00:20:46,755 --> 00:20:48,256 drank wine and barley beer 293 00:20:48,423 --> 00:20:50,175 or simply strolled. 294 00:20:51,801 --> 00:20:55,055 Roman and Gaulish citizens mixed. This was the start 295 00:20:55,221 --> 00:20:57,599 of the Parisians' fascination with Rome, 296 00:20:57,766 --> 00:20:59,350 its grandeur and its empire, 297 00:20:59,517 --> 00:21:02,854 which has never ceased to shape the city's history. 298 00:21:04,064 --> 00:21:06,775 The Romans did not try to impose their pantheon 299 00:21:06,941 --> 00:21:10,361 but, in a sense, they offered it. 300 00:21:10,528 --> 00:21:13,656 And they were quite open to the deities the Gauls offered. 301 00:21:13,823 --> 00:21:15,992 So there was this sort of constant exchange 302 00:21:16,159 --> 00:21:20,455 that resulted in composite gods with mixed origins. 303 00:21:23,374 --> 00:21:25,460 This religious syncretism is evident 304 00:21:25,627 --> 00:21:27,587 in works such as The Three-headed Mercury 305 00:21:27,754 --> 00:21:29,714 or The Stele of Mercury. 306 00:21:30,465 --> 00:21:34,677 These representations have Gaulish and Roman attributes. 307 00:21:43,895 --> 00:21:45,772 Among the few remains of Lutetia 308 00:21:45,939 --> 00:21:48,441 found buried beneath the streets of Paris, 309 00:21:48,608 --> 00:21:52,028 these stone blocks embody this mixing of religion and culture: 310 00:21:52,195 --> 00:21:54,739 the Pillar of Nautes. 311 00:21:58,618 --> 00:22:01,746 In fact, what you see here are fragments of the pillar. 312 00:22:01,913 --> 00:22:02,956 We do not know exactly 313 00:22:03,123 --> 00:22:05,917 how these different parts fit together. 314 00:22:06,084 --> 00:22:09,963 But they enable us to imagine that it was a vertical, very tall monument, 315 00:22:09,964 --> 00:22:12,759 which was quite exceptional in several respects. 316 00:22:12,759 --> 00:22:15,760 First of all, we know by whom and when it was built. 317 00:22:15,927 --> 00:22:18,805 The corporation of Nautes, the river boatmen, 318 00:22:18,972 --> 00:22:21,349 dedicated it during the reign of Tiberius. 319 00:22:23,768 --> 00:22:26,604 This indication means it can be dated precisely. 320 00:22:26,771 --> 00:22:29,566 The pillar was made in the first century AD. 321 00:22:29,732 --> 00:22:32,402 The representations are of a religious nature, 322 00:22:32,569 --> 00:22:35,947 with deities from both the Roman and the Gaulish pantheons. 323 00:22:36,114 --> 00:22:38,575 The inscription dedicated to Emperor Tiberius 324 00:22:38,741 --> 00:22:40,118 is like an ancient Rosetta stone. 325 00:22:40,326 --> 00:22:42,453 There are few written traces from this period. 326 00:22:42,620 --> 00:22:45,081 So this dedication constitutes the birth certificate 327 00:22:45,248 --> 00:22:47,542 of Gallo-Roman Lutetia. 328 00:22:48,626 --> 00:22:51,754 You had to have this coexistence of two cultures. 329 00:22:51,921 --> 00:22:54,757 That is why this monument is also a sign for us. 330 00:22:54,924 --> 00:22:59,721 Because it's evidence, in stone, of what is known as syncretism, 331 00:22:59,888 --> 00:23:02,891 which is the absorption of one culture by another culture. 332 00:23:03,057 --> 00:23:06,102 That's also where the talent of Roman culture lay. 333 00:23:06,269 --> 00:23:08,730 It adopted and accepted pre-existing cultures 334 00:23:08,897 --> 00:23:11,107 to get its own culture accepted. 335 00:23:11,274 --> 00:23:12,567 It symbolizes Lutetia. 336 00:23:16,446 --> 00:23:19,824 The Lutetia of the first centuries AD was a prosperous city 337 00:23:19,991 --> 00:23:23,661 where new traditions merged with Gaulish customs. 338 00:23:25,288 --> 00:23:28,833 The Parisii's territory was a key commercial hub. 339 00:23:29,667 --> 00:23:32,754 The population lived thanks to the river and its riches. 340 00:23:35,298 --> 00:23:38,218 The Nautes, or watermen, who controlled river trade, 341 00:23:38,384 --> 00:23:41,804 constituted one of the first municipal elites. 342 00:23:51,189 --> 00:23:53,858 The Nautes played a decisive role. 343 00:23:54,025 --> 00:23:56,569 It was one of the most powerful guilds at the time, 344 00:23:56,736 --> 00:23:59,447 and control of river trade not only brought them wealth 345 00:23:59,614 --> 00:24:01,115 but also political power. 346 00:24:01,616 --> 00:24:03,243 It is thought today that this local elite 347 00:24:03,409 --> 00:24:08,248 took advantage of Romanization to become even more powerful. 348 00:24:13,711 --> 00:24:16,547 Gallo-Roman civilization emerged. 349 00:24:16,714 --> 00:24:19,050 And the city was the founding element. 350 00:24:20,468 --> 00:24:23,554 Romanization occurred through urbanization, 351 00:24:23,721 --> 00:24:25,848 and it was through the city that the Romans 352 00:24:26,015 --> 00:24:30,061 would control the Empire, control the provinces. 353 00:24:30,395 --> 00:24:32,522 So the imperial power provided 354 00:24:32,689 --> 00:24:36,150 the towns and cities, their inhabitants, the local elites 355 00:24:36,317 --> 00:24:39,404 with the pleasures of the Roman lifestyle. 356 00:24:40,697 --> 00:24:43,366 That's to say, shows, interior decoration, 357 00:24:43,533 --> 00:24:46,577 the comfort of a well-organized life. 358 00:24:46,744 --> 00:24:48,997 It was also a way for those in power to ensure 359 00:24:49,163 --> 00:24:50,581 these elites were peaceful 360 00:24:50,748 --> 00:24:53,668 and would adhere to the empire's values. 361 00:25:00,425 --> 00:25:01,467 The Romans' way of life 362 00:25:01,634 --> 00:25:04,679 was readily adopted by the inhabitants of Lutetia. 363 00:25:04,846 --> 00:25:08,016 The custom of bathing was one of its many appealing aspects. 364 00:25:08,182 --> 00:25:10,310 Several establishments were at their disposal, 365 00:25:10,476 --> 00:25:12,937 including the Northern Baths. 366 00:25:13,980 --> 00:25:17,942 In Roman daily life, bathing was extremely important. 367 00:25:18,109 --> 00:25:20,570 It was something that people took time over. 368 00:25:20,737 --> 00:25:23,364 It was more than just a question of hygiene. 369 00:25:23,531 --> 00:25:27,035 It was about body care, meeting others for pleasure 370 00:25:27,201 --> 00:25:30,121 and probably for professional reasons as well. 371 00:25:30,288 --> 00:25:32,457 It was a normal part of daily life. 372 00:25:32,623 --> 00:25:35,710 That's why the baths were so majestic and large. 373 00:25:35,877 --> 00:25:37,920 A lot of money was spent on them, 374 00:25:38,087 --> 00:25:40,173 a mixture of public and private money, 375 00:25:40,340 --> 00:25:43,926 to show how majestic Rome and the Roman model were 376 00:25:44,093 --> 00:25:46,471 and also to enable as many people as possible 377 00:25:46,637 --> 00:25:48,681 to gather, at the same time, 378 00:25:48,848 --> 00:25:51,267 in these large spaces. 379 00:25:54,145 --> 00:25:57,106 Known as the Thermes de Cluny, the baths in the north of the city 380 00:25:57,273 --> 00:26:01,235 were built in the late 1st century or early 2nd century. 381 00:26:01,402 --> 00:26:03,196 On the corner of the Boulevard St-Germain 382 00:26:03,363 --> 00:26:04,864 and the Boulevard St-Michel, 383 00:26:05,031 --> 00:26:08,785 these baths were one of the largest bath complexes in Gaul. 384 00:26:11,788 --> 00:26:13,706 This establishment had covered spaces 385 00:26:13,873 --> 00:26:15,708 and open courtyards. 386 00:26:15,875 --> 00:26:18,086 Clients worked their way through the building 387 00:26:18,252 --> 00:26:19,670 from north to south. 388 00:26:23,341 --> 00:26:26,886 They accessed the palestrum, where they did physical exercise, 389 00:26:27,053 --> 00:26:29,514 via a colonnaded gallery. 390 00:26:31,015 --> 00:26:35,728 Then they visited the cold water, warm water and hot water rooms. 391 00:26:42,193 --> 00:26:44,821 The frigidarium, or cold water room, 392 00:26:44,987 --> 00:26:47,115 is one of the few remaining monumental remains 393 00:26:47,281 --> 00:26:49,367 of Gallo-Roman baths. 394 00:26:54,914 --> 00:26:56,582 As soon as you enter this room, 395 00:26:56,749 --> 00:26:58,876 the frigidarium of the northern baths, 396 00:26:59,043 --> 00:27:00,545 you automatically look up 397 00:27:00,711 --> 00:27:02,380 because the first thing that grabs you 398 00:27:02,547 --> 00:27:05,007 is its majestic, magnificent height. 399 00:27:05,174 --> 00:27:08,094 It is 15 meters high at its apex. 400 00:27:08,261 --> 00:27:11,848 Then there is this impression of a grandiose yet intimate space. 401 00:27:12,014 --> 00:27:14,100 This feeling of intimacy is probably also due 402 00:27:14,267 --> 00:27:16,436 to the room's faint pinkish color. 403 00:27:16,602 --> 00:27:18,729 You have the pink of the plaster 404 00:27:18,896 --> 00:27:23,443 but also of the brickwork of this wall facing, or opus mixtum, 405 00:27:23,609 --> 00:27:26,404 a characteristic feature of Roman architecture, 406 00:27:26,571 --> 00:27:29,115 with its alternate courses of terracotta bricks 407 00:27:29,282 --> 00:27:32,326 and limestone rubble, hence the name. 408 00:27:34,579 --> 00:27:35,621 In the frigidarium, 409 00:27:35,788 --> 00:27:40,460 traces of pigments are a reminder of the glory days of Antiquity. 410 00:27:40,710 --> 00:27:42,253 A period when the inside of this building 411 00:27:42,420 --> 00:27:44,755 was painted and decorated... 412 00:27:59,770 --> 00:28:03,524 These consoles in the shape of ships' prows laden with arms 413 00:28:03,691 --> 00:28:06,944 embody the power of the boatmen of Lutetia. 414 00:28:07,111 --> 00:28:08,196 But for some historians, 415 00:28:08,362 --> 00:28:11,616 they are the symbol of the Roman Empire on the seas. 416 00:28:19,874 --> 00:28:23,294 This boat on the ocean waves is still the emblem of Paris. 417 00:28:23,461 --> 00:28:28,466 Its motto: Fluctuat nec mergitur. "It floats but does not sink." 418 00:28:28,633 --> 00:28:30,885 reminds us that "Water makes the city", 419 00:28:31,052 --> 00:28:33,554 as the Roman author Pliny said. 420 00:28:36,807 --> 00:28:40,144 You cannot have thermal baths without a water-supply system 421 00:28:40,311 --> 00:28:42,647 because water is one of the most important elements 422 00:28:42,813 --> 00:28:45,525 in the running of baths, together with heating, 423 00:28:45,691 --> 00:28:48,194 which is where they get their name. 424 00:28:48,361 --> 00:28:50,821 These water-supply systems are very easy to spot, 425 00:28:50,988 --> 00:28:54,408 particularly in the basement of the northern baths. 426 00:28:54,575 --> 00:28:57,578 And we also have two very visible sewer systems. 427 00:28:57,745 --> 00:28:59,288 This ancient sewer system 428 00:28:59,455 --> 00:29:02,667 is typical of a city that had an extensive water network. 429 00:29:02,833 --> 00:29:06,087 It wasn't simply a question of supplying the baths with water, 430 00:29:06,254 --> 00:29:07,964 there were public fountains too. 431 00:29:08,130 --> 00:29:10,383 So we know all about this water-supply system. 432 00:29:10,550 --> 00:29:13,094 The drains are still visible in the frigidarium 433 00:29:13,261 --> 00:29:15,221 and, in the basement, we have a sewer system 434 00:29:15,388 --> 00:29:17,682 that is very spectacular. 435 00:29:24,647 --> 00:29:26,440 A 20km-long aqueduct 436 00:29:26,607 --> 00:29:30,570 ran from the Val de Rungis to the south of the city. 437 00:29:32,738 --> 00:29:36,576 This monumental structure gave Lutetia a constant supply of water. 438 00:29:38,202 --> 00:29:40,454 This natural resource was essential to the daily, 439 00:29:40,621 --> 00:29:43,708 commercial and political life of the city. 440 00:29:55,636 --> 00:29:57,888 In the Archeological Reserves of Paris, 441 00:29:58,055 --> 00:30:02,518 remains of this aqueduct attest to the skill of Roman engineers. 442 00:30:03,185 --> 00:30:06,105 With the baths, public fountains and numerous wells, 443 00:30:06,272 --> 00:30:08,524 water now sprang out everywhere in Lutetia 444 00:30:09,066 --> 00:30:11,360 as it did in all Roman cities and towns. 445 00:30:13,904 --> 00:30:16,240 What we call the Roman way of life 446 00:30:16,407 --> 00:30:20,453 could also be seen in other aspects of daily life. 447 00:30:20,620 --> 00:30:22,580 Things such as hairstyling, 448 00:30:22,747 --> 00:30:25,207 which have been preserved in images. 449 00:30:25,374 --> 00:30:28,044 People wore their hair in the Roman style. 450 00:30:28,210 --> 00:30:30,004 This fashion for the Roman look 451 00:30:30,171 --> 00:30:31,464 is one of the expressions 452 00:30:31,631 --> 00:30:35,676 that echoes what we say about the question of architecture, 453 00:30:35,843 --> 00:30:41,265 about this way of marking a territory with the Roman model. 454 00:30:42,475 --> 00:30:44,101 By the second century AD, 455 00:30:44,268 --> 00:30:46,228 the Gaulish populations living in Lutetia 456 00:30:46,395 --> 00:30:48,981 were only Gaulish by name. They were citizens 457 00:30:49,148 --> 00:30:50,816 of the Roman Empire. 458 00:30:52,068 --> 00:30:53,277 During the pax romana, 459 00:30:53,444 --> 00:30:57,615 or Roman peace, Lutetia underwent rapid change. 460 00:30:57,990 --> 00:30:59,408 In just two centuries, 461 00:30:59,575 --> 00:31:03,788 the town turned into a majestic city worthy of the Roman Empire. 462 00:31:03,954 --> 00:31:04,789 But it was still denied 463 00:31:04,955 --> 00:31:07,458 the status of the capital of Gaul. 464 00:31:11,921 --> 00:31:14,131 Today, the few remaining ancient monuments 465 00:31:14,298 --> 00:31:16,717 have been absorbed by the city's growth. 466 00:31:17,968 --> 00:31:19,720 Thanks to archeological excavations, 467 00:31:20,179 --> 00:31:22,556 major remains have reappeared. 468 00:31:23,307 --> 00:31:27,728 The arena was discovered by Theodore Vaoquer, in 1869, 469 00:31:27,895 --> 00:31:30,231 during the building of the Rue Monge. 470 00:31:38,197 --> 00:31:40,408 The great public monuments were built of stone. 471 00:31:40,574 --> 00:31:42,660 As for more modest private housing, 472 00:31:42,827 --> 00:31:45,121 earth and wood were still being used. 473 00:31:45,287 --> 00:31:47,331 But public monuments were made of stone. 474 00:31:47,498 --> 00:31:50,209 Stone is a very important marker of Romanization 475 00:31:50,376 --> 00:31:53,504 because you do not find it in the Gaulish period, 476 00:31:53,671 --> 00:31:55,589 prior to the Roman conquest. 477 00:31:55,756 --> 00:31:59,135 The stone came from a number of different places. 478 00:31:59,301 --> 00:32:02,847 But they mainly used limestone, rubble stone of local origin, 479 00:32:03,013 --> 00:32:04,974 in the broad sense, 480 00:32:05,141 --> 00:32:08,686 brought in from 30-odd kilometers away for building. 481 00:32:09,937 --> 00:32:12,523 In the first days of Gallo-Roman Lutetia, 482 00:32:12,690 --> 00:32:15,151 limestone was extracted from open-air quarries 483 00:32:15,317 --> 00:32:18,988 on the edge of the Seine, the Marne and the Bievre. 484 00:32:19,655 --> 00:32:23,033 In 2011, in the district of St-Marcel, 485 00:32:23,200 --> 00:32:27,079 excavations revealed the presence of an ancient Paris stone quarry. 486 00:32:28,539 --> 00:32:30,541 We are in the 13th arrondissement, 487 00:32:30,708 --> 00:32:33,711 behind the Gobelins Factory to be precise, 488 00:32:33,878 --> 00:32:35,421 and this is the former location 489 00:32:35,421 --> 00:32:40,050 of a concave bend of the Biévre: 490 00:32:40,217 --> 00:32:44,388 a small river which flowed into the Seine, near the Gare d'Austerlitz. 491 00:32:44,555 --> 00:32:48,142 It played an important role in the history of Paris. 492 00:32:48,559 --> 00:32:49,852 There was a steep bank, 493 00:32:50,019 --> 00:32:52,563 which meant it was possible to quarry the limestone 494 00:32:52,730 --> 00:32:57,401 that was used to build part of Lutetia and then later the medieval city. 495 00:32:57,568 --> 00:32:59,904 Because of the thinness of the layers, 496 00:33:00,070 --> 00:33:02,364 the stone extracted from this quarry 497 00:33:02,531 --> 00:33:05,785 could only be used to make rubble stone, 498 00:33:05,951 --> 00:33:09,371 that's to say small blocks, which were used 499 00:33:09,538 --> 00:33:12,917 for individual homes and the facades of some monuments, 500 00:33:13,083 --> 00:33:14,668 such as the Forum, 501 00:33:14,835 --> 00:33:18,088 but not large foundations. 502 00:33:28,641 --> 00:33:30,559 For the decorative facing of monuments, 503 00:33:30,726 --> 00:33:33,103 far more exotic materials were used. 504 00:33:33,270 --> 00:33:35,439 These came from further away. 505 00:33:35,606 --> 00:33:37,233 Materials such as marble, 506 00:33:37,399 --> 00:33:39,860 which could have come from any of the Empire's provinces, 507 00:33:40,027 --> 00:33:42,738 and sandstone from the south of France, for instance, 508 00:33:42,905 --> 00:33:44,740 from the Province of Narbonne. 509 00:33:44,907 --> 00:33:46,909 A whole range of materials was used, 510 00:33:47,076 --> 00:33:50,996 local materials and imported, exotic materials 511 00:33:51,163 --> 00:33:53,791 for monumental architecture. 512 00:33:54,792 --> 00:33:58,921 Almost nothing remains of the Left Bank's architectural finery. 513 00:33:59,964 --> 00:34:01,715 By the middle of the 3rd century, 514 00:34:01,882 --> 00:34:04,885 the Roman city model was on the wane. 515 00:34:05,052 --> 00:34:09,515 New uses were found for Lutetia's architectural adornments. 516 00:34:10,933 --> 00:34:12,810 From the end of Antiquity, 517 00:34:12,977 --> 00:34:15,271 as was the case in all Roman cities, 518 00:34:15,437 --> 00:34:16,981 Lutetia's principal monuments 519 00:34:17,147 --> 00:34:20,109 became the target of opportunistic vandalism. 520 00:34:20,276 --> 00:34:23,612 People took whatever they could from these beautiful stone buildings 521 00:34:23,779 --> 00:34:26,490 and reused it in other places. 522 00:34:26,657 --> 00:34:31,203 So monuments that had lost their purpose in the life of society 523 00:34:31,370 --> 00:34:34,582 became part of other monuments all over the place. 524 00:34:46,468 --> 00:34:47,761 The stones around me 525 00:34:47,928 --> 00:34:50,180 are evidence of the architectural finery 526 00:34:50,347 --> 00:34:52,516 that once existed in Lutetia 527 00:34:52,683 --> 00:34:56,979 and of which hardly any trace remains within the city of Paris. 528 00:34:57,146 --> 00:35:01,150 These blocks, for instance, were found reused in other buildings. 529 00:35:01,317 --> 00:35:02,818 The problem is, 530 00:35:02,985 --> 00:35:06,155 the monumental architecture of Lutetia in the High Empire 531 00:35:06,322 --> 00:35:09,325 completely disappeared as a result of this later reuse. 532 00:35:13,495 --> 00:35:17,750 These sculpted architectural elements were once part of Lutetia's Forum. 533 00:35:18,208 --> 00:35:20,878 They adorned one of its porticos. 534 00:35:31,889 --> 00:35:33,641 They are some of the few remains 535 00:35:33,807 --> 00:35:37,061 from this symbol of Parisian life in Antiquity. 536 00:35:51,575 --> 00:35:53,911 To learn more about daily life in Lutetia, 537 00:35:54,078 --> 00:35:56,497 archeologists excavate the sites of insulae 538 00:35:56,830 --> 00:35:58,540 or blocks of housing. 539 00:36:00,250 --> 00:36:03,921 In 2006, perpendicular to the Rue St Jacques, 540 00:36:04,088 --> 00:36:08,384 they discovered the remains of a Gallo-Roman road and house. 541 00:36:08,801 --> 00:36:09,760 Among other things, 542 00:36:09,927 --> 00:36:12,429 this house revealed everyday objects. 543 00:36:20,312 --> 00:36:24,775 These pots and glassware come from different excavation sites in Paris. 544 00:36:24,942 --> 00:36:27,945 And, with them, another era resurfaces. 545 00:36:43,502 --> 00:36:46,213 Some of these utensils were commonly produced, 546 00:36:46,380 --> 00:36:48,465 others are more refined. 547 00:36:49,299 --> 00:36:51,969 They arrived in Lutetia from all over the Empire 548 00:36:52,136 --> 00:36:54,763 or were made in the city's workshops. 549 00:36:55,973 --> 00:36:59,268 This is a collection of pottery that was made in Lutetia 550 00:36:59,435 --> 00:37:02,104 in the 2nd or 3rd century. 551 00:37:03,981 --> 00:37:08,235 These pieces can tell us what the inhabitants of Lutetia ate back then 552 00:37:08,402 --> 00:37:09,903 but only those 553 00:37:10,070 --> 00:37:12,156 from a poorer section of the population 554 00:37:12,322 --> 00:37:14,908 because this kitchenware would have belonged 555 00:37:15,075 --> 00:37:17,494 to an ordinary family. 556 00:37:20,372 --> 00:37:23,333 However we have texts, notably those of Apicius, 557 00:37:23,500 --> 00:37:25,711 a famous cook in Augustus's day, 558 00:37:25,878 --> 00:37:27,838 which tell us about extravagant recipes 559 00:37:28,005 --> 00:37:30,007 with costly ingredients. 560 00:37:30,924 --> 00:37:34,887 An example of the type of delicacy eaten in Lutetia at the time 561 00:37:35,054 --> 00:37:36,680 is oysters. 562 00:37:37,848 --> 00:37:40,476 Many have been found on Roman sites and these oysters, 563 00:37:40,642 --> 00:37:43,312 which were imported from Normandy and Brittany, 564 00:37:43,479 --> 00:37:45,355 were definitely a costly product. 565 00:37:55,532 --> 00:37:56,742 The boatmen of the Seine 566 00:37:56,909 --> 00:37:58,786 transported necessities and luxury items 567 00:37:58,952 --> 00:38:01,330 to the shores of Lutetia. 568 00:38:03,832 --> 00:38:07,669 River trade was the city's main source of economic wealth. 569 00:38:09,797 --> 00:38:13,050 Lutetia also benefited from an extremely dense network 570 00:38:13,217 --> 00:38:16,428 of Roman roads, which ran all over Europe. 571 00:38:21,642 --> 00:38:25,521 Milestones were placed all along these ancient roads. 572 00:38:26,897 --> 00:38:30,317 This one was found during an excavation in Avenue des Gobelins. 573 00:38:41,453 --> 00:38:43,539 On the upper part of this element, 574 00:38:43,705 --> 00:38:47,626 which is slightly cylindrical, you can see an inscription. 575 00:38:47,793 --> 00:38:50,712 This inscription tells us a number of things: 576 00:38:50,879 --> 00:38:53,257 the first two lines mention an emperor, 577 00:38:53,423 --> 00:38:56,510 the emperor under whom the inscription was made, 578 00:38:56,677 --> 00:38:59,763 and the third thing, which is particularly important, 579 00:38:59,930 --> 00:39:04,935 the last surviving line of this inscription says CIV - PAR, 580 00:39:05,144 --> 00:39:10,190 Civitas Parisiorum, the city of the Parisians. 581 00:39:10,357 --> 00:39:12,442 So this is the earliest evidence we have 582 00:39:12,609 --> 00:39:14,736 of Lutetia's name changing 583 00:39:14,903 --> 00:39:17,948 and becoming the City of the Parisians - Paris - 584 00:39:18,115 --> 00:39:20,951 around 309-310 AD. 585 00:39:21,827 --> 00:39:23,912 It wasn't necessarily a political decision. 586 00:39:24,079 --> 00:39:25,789 It was a question of usage. 587 00:39:25,956 --> 00:39:29,376 Roman names, which were often complicated, gradually disappeared. 588 00:39:29,543 --> 00:39:33,672 People preferred to refer to cities as the "Capital of the People... 589 00:39:33,964 --> 00:39:35,757 So we have the Capital of the Senones, 590 00:39:35,924 --> 00:39:37,092 which became Sens, 591 00:39:37,259 --> 00:39:39,970 The Capital of the Santones, which became Saintes, 592 00:39:40,137 --> 00:39:44,308 the Capital of the Parisii, or rather, oppidum parisiorum. 593 00:39:44,474 --> 00:39:47,728 People ended up saying Parisii. Paris in other words. 594 00:39:47,895 --> 00:39:53,066 So a gradual change in linguistic usage probably explains this name change. 595 00:40:02,075 --> 00:40:05,787 In the mid 3rd century, a new era dawned in ancient Lutetia. 596 00:40:08,290 --> 00:40:11,335 Like all over northern Gaul, the city is completely replanned 597 00:40:11,501 --> 00:40:14,922 owing to the political and economic climate. 598 00:40:16,173 --> 00:40:18,884 The left bank is partially abandoned. 599 00:40:19,134 --> 00:40:21,386 Stones from the Forum and the arena 600 00:40:21,553 --> 00:40:23,722 are used to fortify the lie de la Cité. 601 00:40:24,681 --> 00:40:28,518 Parisian life now revolves around a civil basilica. 602 00:40:29,478 --> 00:40:31,521 At the time, the basilica was a rectangular building 603 00:40:31,688 --> 00:40:33,440 used for legal activities, 604 00:40:33,607 --> 00:40:36,735 the ancestor of the Palais de Justice, or law courts, 605 00:40:36,902 --> 00:40:39,404 which is still on the lie de la Cité. 606 00:40:46,370 --> 00:40:48,538 Beneath the square in front of Notre Dame, 607 00:40:48,705 --> 00:40:50,040 archeological excavations 608 00:40:50,207 --> 00:40:53,585 have revealed remains of the Lower Empire period. 609 00:40:55,754 --> 00:40:57,673 Begun in 1965 610 00:40:57,839 --> 00:41:00,217 by the archeologist Michel Fleury, these excavations 611 00:41:00,384 --> 00:41:04,680 are now led by Sylvie Robin and Rose-Marie Mousseaux. 612 00:41:04,846 --> 00:41:07,391 The archeological crypt houses the late walls 613 00:41:07,557 --> 00:41:11,895 of the city of Lutetia. By "late", we mean the 4th century. 614 00:41:12,062 --> 00:41:16,358 These walls surrounded Lutetia, or rather the island of Lutetia. 615 00:41:16,525 --> 00:41:18,652 We have a short quote from the Emperor Julian, 616 00:41:18,819 --> 00:41:22,739 which gives us an idea of what Lutetia was like in those days. 617 00:41:22,906 --> 00:41:27,411 In 357, when he arrived after one of his military campaigns, 618 00:41:27,577 --> 00:41:31,790 he entered his "charming Lutetia". That's the word he used. 619 00:41:31,957 --> 00:41:35,877 So he entered his charming Lutetia, which was surrounded by walls. 620 00:41:36,044 --> 00:41:40,632 This means that at the time, around 357-358 AD, 621 00:41:40,799 --> 00:41:43,135 the city was completely enclosed by walls. 622 00:41:44,428 --> 00:41:46,138 Within the city walls, 623 00:41:46,305 --> 00:41:48,640 roads were re-laid, 624 00:41:48,807 --> 00:41:52,436 several bath complexes were built and, probably, 625 00:41:52,602 --> 00:41:55,439 a palace and a basilica too. 626 00:41:58,942 --> 00:42:01,069 In Late Antiquity, these small baths 627 00:42:01,236 --> 00:42:04,364 stood near the outer walls of the lie de la Cité. 628 00:42:07,659 --> 00:42:10,454 Although they could only hold 7 people, 629 00:42:12,122 --> 00:42:13,707 they were modeled along the same lines 630 00:42:13,874 --> 00:42:15,542 as larger bathing establishments, 631 00:42:15,709 --> 00:42:18,879 with hot, warm and cold rooms. 632 00:42:21,965 --> 00:42:24,634 Little is known about the water-supply system, 633 00:42:24,801 --> 00:42:26,762 but water probably came from a well 634 00:42:26,928 --> 00:42:29,222 or the Seine, which was very nearby. 635 00:42:34,853 --> 00:42:37,647 Facing the right bank, there was an architectural complex 636 00:42:37,814 --> 00:42:40,567 with a military palace and the basilica. 637 00:42:42,319 --> 00:42:46,573 This building may have been used by Emperor Julian and his staff. 638 00:42:48,617 --> 00:42:52,287 When Julian came to spend several winters running in Lutetia, 639 00:42:52,454 --> 00:42:56,333 he was not thinking about using it for a particular purpose. 640 00:42:57,542 --> 00:43:00,670 He simply needed to house his troops for the winter 641 00:43:00,837 --> 00:43:04,383 because the Roman army fought campaigns in summertime 642 00:43:04,549 --> 00:43:07,677 and, in the winter, the troops withdrew, rested 643 00:43:07,844 --> 00:43:10,138 and settled for a while. 644 00:43:13,642 --> 00:43:15,185 Julian was drawn to Lutetia 645 00:43:15,352 --> 00:43:16,978 as much for the riches of its river 646 00:43:17,145 --> 00:43:19,481 as for the vines on the slopes of Montmartre. 647 00:43:20,148 --> 00:43:21,691 He stayed at the palace several times 648 00:43:21,858 --> 00:43:24,361 during his military campaigns against the Franks. 649 00:43:26,571 --> 00:43:28,782 In March 360, it was in Lutetia 650 00:43:28,949 --> 00:43:32,411 that Julian was proclaimed emperor by his own troops. 651 00:43:33,161 --> 00:43:36,957 At that time, Lutetia regained a strategic importance that it had lost. 652 00:43:37,124 --> 00:43:39,376 This is probably why the Frankish kings 653 00:43:39,543 --> 00:43:42,671 named Paris as the capital in the 5th century. 654 00:43:50,595 --> 00:43:51,680 Near the Rhine, 655 00:43:51,847 --> 00:43:55,392 violent barbarian incursions threaten the Roman Empire. 656 00:43:56,435 --> 00:43:58,854 A few days' walk from Germanic lands, 657 00:43:59,020 --> 00:44:02,107 Paris stands on the border between these two civilizations. 658 00:44:02,441 --> 00:44:05,902 An attack by Attila and the Huns seems imminent. 659 00:44:06,778 --> 00:44:08,697 When Attila arrived in the West, 660 00:44:08,864 --> 00:44:11,283 in 451, he ransacked Metz. 661 00:44:12,367 --> 00:44:14,703 Rumors about the acts of cruelty spread. 662 00:44:14,703 --> 00:44:22,294 The Parisians, at least the men, were tempted to flee the city 663 00:44:22,461 --> 00:44:25,380 and live in the forest and the countryside. 664 00:44:25,547 --> 00:44:28,425 But Genevieve decided to organize resistance 665 00:44:28,592 --> 00:44:29,885 and believed that Attila 666 00:44:30,051 --> 00:44:32,679 would not be able to seize the city. 667 00:44:35,765 --> 00:44:37,809 Genevieve was a frail young woman 668 00:44:37,976 --> 00:44:42,314 with the mystic veil of the saint and a keen sense of diplomacy. 669 00:44:44,941 --> 00:44:47,068 She lived as a nun in Paris. 670 00:44:47,235 --> 00:44:49,029 She was from a wealthy family 671 00:44:49,196 --> 00:44:55,660 and probably head of the Paris Curia. She was mayor before the term existed. 672 00:44:55,827 --> 00:44:58,038 And so Genevieve, in conditions 673 00:44:58,205 --> 00:45:02,083 we know nothing about, organized the defense of Paris. 674 00:45:02,918 --> 00:45:06,630 The Huns are in the Paris area, ready to sweep into the city. 675 00:45:07,589 --> 00:45:09,716 The men are determined to abandon it. 676 00:45:09,883 --> 00:45:13,345 Alone, Genevieve puts up a fierce resistance. 677 00:45:14,054 --> 00:45:15,180 We must flee. 678 00:45:15,514 --> 00:45:17,307 Why all this talk of fear? 679 00:45:17,474 --> 00:45:19,267 Of fleeing to other cities? 680 00:45:19,434 --> 00:45:22,312 Lutetia, under Christ's protection, will escape the carnage. 681 00:45:22,896 --> 00:45:24,314 What would you have us do? 682 00:45:24,481 --> 00:45:25,649 Pray at the swords? 683 00:45:25,815 --> 00:45:27,192 To hell with you and your God! 684 00:45:27,609 --> 00:45:30,237 - You're talking nonsense. - You're not His Messenger! 685 00:45:30,403 --> 00:45:31,738 God did speak to me with love. 686 00:45:31,905 --> 00:45:32,656 If we flee the city, 687 00:45:32,822 --> 00:45:34,824 we'll be at the mercy of the Barbarians. 688 00:45:34,991 --> 00:45:36,952 Butunfied and with heaven's guidance, 689 00:45:37,118 --> 00:45:38,328 we can fight back. 690 00:45:38,495 --> 00:45:40,580 You're a prophetess of doom! 691 00:45:40,747 --> 00:45:42,249 You men are all cowards. 692 00:45:45,669 --> 00:45:48,588 You, women of Lutetia, have the courage. 693 00:45:49,339 --> 00:45:50,507 Don't abandon your city, 694 00:45:50,674 --> 00:45:52,467 where you were conceived, 695 00:45:52,968 --> 00:45:54,302 where your children were born 696 00:45:54,469 --> 00:45:56,346 and your ancestors died. 697 00:45:56,680 --> 00:45:58,473 Let the men run away in fear, 698 00:45:58,640 --> 00:46:00,517 if they don't have the strength to stand up and fight. 699 00:46:00,684 --> 00:46:02,561 But we women will kneel and pray 700 00:46:02,727 --> 00:46:04,854 until God hears us! 701 00:46:09,359 --> 00:46:12,445 Attila goes around the city and heads for Orleans. 702 00:46:12,612 --> 00:46:14,614 The Parisians are convinced they have been spared 703 00:46:14,781 --> 00:46:16,950 because of Genevieve's prayers. 704 00:46:17,117 --> 00:46:19,619 They shower her with praise. 705 00:46:21,079 --> 00:46:23,456 Genevieve had a very important role. 706 00:46:23,623 --> 00:46:26,126 She had a special devotion for St Denis. 707 00:46:26,293 --> 00:46:28,420 In her writings, The Life of St Genevieve, 708 00:46:28,420 --> 00:46:28,591 . 709 00:46:28,700 --> 00:46:33,967 she describes how she walked from Paris to St Denis 710 00:46:34,593 --> 00:46:38,430 via the La Chapelle Pass, site of the present Porte de la Chapelle. 711 00:46:39,222 --> 00:46:42,726 So she had a special devotion for him. 712 00:46:43,977 --> 00:46:47,564 The fact so many Frankish aristocrats, mainly women, were buried at St Denis, 713 00:46:47,731 --> 00:46:51,943 probably has something to do with St Genevieve's special devotion. 714 00:46:58,283 --> 00:47:00,076 As the patron saint of the city, 715 00:47:00,243 --> 00:47:03,163 Genevieve embodied the destiny of Paris: 716 00:47:04,581 --> 00:47:06,249 a miraculous survivor, 717 00:47:06,416 --> 00:47:08,752 a city untouched by the test of time 718 00:47:08,918 --> 00:47:12,255 or men's misfortunes in the name of God. 719 00:47:12,422 --> 00:47:15,133 She followed in the footsteps of St Denis, 720 00:47:15,300 --> 00:47:18,178 the bishop missionary who first tried to convert 721 00:47:18,345 --> 00:47:20,096 the Parisians to Christianity. 722 00:47:22,641 --> 00:47:24,100 Tradition has it 723 00:47:24,267 --> 00:47:26,811 that St Denis was the first bishop of Paris. 724 00:47:26,978 --> 00:47:30,523 He was martyred in Montmartre in the middle of the 3rd century. 725 00:47:30,690 --> 00:47:34,778 But we now believe that he was a bishop missionary, an itinerant bishop, 726 00:47:34,944 --> 00:47:37,697 martyred because he wanted to convert the Parisians. 727 00:47:38,865 --> 00:47:41,785 He was martyred, beheaded on the hill of Montmartre. 728 00:47:41,951 --> 00:47:43,244 According to legend 729 00:47:43,411 --> 00:47:46,164 - this was much later, in the 8th or 9th century - 730 00:47:46,331 --> 00:47:48,583 he carried his head from Paris to St Denis. 731 00:47:48,750 --> 00:47:50,710 That's 6 kilometers! 732 00:47:50,877 --> 00:47:53,463 So he was buried roughly where we are standing now, 733 00:47:53,630 --> 00:47:55,548 on the spot where the basilica was built. 734 00:47:57,676 --> 00:48:00,804 The bishop was buried in a small Gallo-Roman cemetery, 735 00:48:00,970 --> 00:48:03,139 which was soon turned into a mausoleum. 736 00:48:03,473 --> 00:48:04,474 In the 5th century, 737 00:48:04,641 --> 00:48:07,644 St Genevieve had a church built here. 738 00:48:08,853 --> 00:48:10,313 Dedicated to his memory, 739 00:48:10,480 --> 00:48:13,024 the place of worship took the name of St Denis. 740 00:48:16,486 --> 00:48:20,740 The abbey-church, which became a basilica in the Merovingian period, 741 00:48:20,907 --> 00:48:23,159 illuminated the political and spiritual history 742 00:48:23,326 --> 00:48:26,246 of the successive royal dynasties in Paris. 743 00:48:38,717 --> 00:48:41,136 The crypt of the Basilica of St Denis 744 00:48:41,302 --> 00:48:44,139 contains the remains of the original church. 745 00:48:45,140 --> 00:48:46,349 We are standing on the site 746 00:48:46,516 --> 00:48:49,602 of what was an exceptional and very large memorial. 747 00:48:49,978 --> 00:48:52,522 The nave was nine meters wide. 748 00:48:52,689 --> 00:48:56,192 And you can see here, on both sides, large stone blocks 749 00:48:56,359 --> 00:48:59,446 from an ancient monument that was probably destroyed. 750 00:48:59,612 --> 00:49:03,992 These blocks were used for the foundations of this first memorial. 751 00:49:05,118 --> 00:49:09,247 This sarcophagus has been identified as being that of St Denis. 752 00:49:10,123 --> 00:49:12,250 From the second half of the 5th century, 753 00:49:12,417 --> 00:49:15,920 notables and two Merovingian kings would be buried 754 00:49:16,087 --> 00:49:18,798 as close as possible to the sainted bishop's remains. 755 00:49:29,684 --> 00:49:32,812 Pummeled on all sides by invading barbarians, 756 00:49:32,979 --> 00:49:35,940 the Roman Empire begins to disintegrate. 757 00:49:36,107 --> 00:49:39,986 The Frankish army of King Childeric sweeps down from the north 758 00:49:40,153 --> 00:49:43,239 and lays siege to Paris for almost ten years. 759 00:49:43,406 --> 00:49:45,867 Genevieve leads the resistance. 760 00:49:46,034 --> 00:49:49,078 At the risk of her life, she embarks on a journey 761 00:49:49,245 --> 00:49:52,290 to find grain with which to feed the city. 762 00:49:53,249 --> 00:49:55,418 When these large boats dock in Paris, 763 00:49:55,585 --> 00:49:57,879 the starving crowd give her a jubilant welcome 764 00:49:58,046 --> 00:50:00,131 and hasten to make bread. 765 00:50:02,759 --> 00:50:05,887 Yet again Genevieve has changed the Parisians' destiny 766 00:50:06,054 --> 00:50:08,389 and saved the city. 767 00:50:08,598 --> 00:50:11,810 Childeric admires the woman's courage. 768 00:50:12,185 --> 00:50:16,648 She even bounces little Clovis, the future king, on her knee. 769 00:50:20,068 --> 00:50:22,362 After the Franks finally take Paris, 770 00:50:22,529 --> 00:50:26,950 Genevieve becomes the protector of the Merovingian kings. 771 00:50:27,283 --> 00:50:30,370 In the Ancien Régime period, the Merovingians 772 00:50:30,537 --> 00:50:33,248 were seen as the kings of the first race. 773 00:50:33,414 --> 00:50:36,751 So the Merovingians were the first French dynasty. 774 00:50:36,918 --> 00:50:39,212 Well, French before the term had been coined, 775 00:50:39,379 --> 00:50:41,631 since France did not exist yet. 776 00:50:41,798 --> 00:50:43,800 And its real founder was Clovis, 777 00:50:43,967 --> 00:50:45,301 Childeric's son. 778 00:50:45,468 --> 00:50:49,889 In Frankish, Clovis was Chlodowig. It isn't easy to pronounce. 779 00:50:50,056 --> 00:50:53,017 This became Ludovicus, then Louis. 780 00:50:53,184 --> 00:50:56,855 So you could almost say Clovis was Louis the First. 781 00:50:57,272 --> 00:51:01,025 Clovis becomes King of the Franks at the age of 15. 782 00:51:05,154 --> 00:51:06,990 He is, above all, a fearsome warrior 783 00:51:07,156 --> 00:51:11,160 who sets about conquering territory from the Somme to the Loire. 784 00:51:11,536 --> 00:51:13,329 Following his military successes, 785 00:51:13,496 --> 00:51:15,164 Clovis needs a capital to establish 786 00:51:15,331 --> 00:51:18,084 the undisputed seat of his kingdom. 787 00:51:20,295 --> 00:51:24,424 After his victory over the Visigoths in Vouillé in 507, 788 00:51:24,591 --> 00:51:28,553 after his triumph at Tours in 508, in the manner of a Roman emperor, 789 00:51:28,720 --> 00:51:32,932 Clovis decided to provide himself with a capital and he chose Paris. 790 00:51:33,099 --> 00:51:34,976 He did not choose Paris as capital 791 00:51:35,143 --> 00:51:38,187 for military or strategic reasons, as has often been said, 792 00:51:38,354 --> 00:51:42,317 or even for political reasons, but for religious reasons. 793 00:51:42,483 --> 00:51:46,112 The fact is Clovis and Clotilda had had an excellent relationship 794 00:51:46,279 --> 00:51:49,198 with Genevieve, who had become, in a manner of speaking, 795 00:51:49,365 --> 00:51:52,368 the protector of the nascent Merovingian dynasty. 796 00:51:52,994 --> 00:51:54,662 By choosing Paris as the capital, 797 00:51:54,829 --> 00:51:58,249 they anchored the dynasty by St Genevieve's tomb. 798 00:51:58,416 --> 00:52:02,170 This is what led them to build the Basilica of the Holy Apostles 799 00:52:02,337 --> 00:52:03,713 over her tomb. 800 00:52:04,756 --> 00:52:06,549 Around the year 500, 801 00:52:06,716 --> 00:52:10,595 Clovis decided to build his mausoleum next to Genevieve's tomb. 802 00:52:10,762 --> 00:52:14,807 On top of the mount that still bears the name of the patron saint of Paris, 803 00:52:14,974 --> 00:52:17,226 he built the Basilica of the Holy Apostles, 804 00:52:18,061 --> 00:52:22,565 later known as St Genevieve Church. It no longer exists. 805 00:52:26,402 --> 00:52:30,031 Clovis's Tower is all that remains of this abbey. 806 00:52:30,239 --> 00:52:32,867 Built later, the church of St Etienne du Mont 807 00:52:33,034 --> 00:52:36,579 stood next to St Genevieve's basilica. 808 00:52:37,956 --> 00:52:39,999 King Clovis died in 511. 809 00:52:40,959 --> 00:52:44,629 He was buried next to the graves of his wife, Clotilda, 810 00:52:44,796 --> 00:52:48,007 and of Genevieve. But his tomb has never been found. 811 00:52:50,843 --> 00:52:53,972 Clovis's choice would be decisive for the future. 812 00:52:54,138 --> 00:52:55,640 Following his death, 813 00:52:55,807 --> 00:52:58,393 when his kingdom was divided between his sons, 814 00:52:58,559 --> 00:53:00,687 Paris became a jointly-owned city: 815 00:53:00,853 --> 00:53:03,439 in other words, none of his sons could go there 816 00:53:03,606 --> 00:53:07,735 unless he was accompanied by one or another of his brothers. 817 00:53:07,902 --> 00:53:11,864 During the entire Merovingian period, it was a holy city. 818 00:53:12,031 --> 00:53:14,784 So each kingdom, or sub-kingdom, had its capital, 819 00:53:14,951 --> 00:53:19,122 but Paris was the joint capital of the Merovingian kings. 820 00:53:20,331 --> 00:53:23,251 With the Frankish kings now on the lie de la Cité, 821 00:53:23,418 --> 00:53:26,838 numerous churches are built on both banks of the Seine. 822 00:53:35,471 --> 00:53:36,472 But these places of worship 823 00:53:36,639 --> 00:53:40,893 do not survive the ferocious attacks of the Vikings from the middle 824 00:53:41,060 --> 00:53:42,270 of the 9th century. 825 00:53:45,857 --> 00:53:50,111 Every ten years, the city is attacked by hordes of invaders 826 00:53:50,278 --> 00:53:51,571 who would sail up the Seine. 827 00:53:52,447 --> 00:53:56,117 In 885, the river is awash with Iongships 828 00:53:56,284 --> 00:53:58,870 full of men armed to the teeth. 829 00:54:00,455 --> 00:54:02,790 The Vikings ransack the suburbs on both banks 830 00:54:02,957 --> 00:54:05,918 and get dangerously close to the lie de la Cité. 831 00:54:06,919 --> 00:54:08,880 The battle rages on. 832 00:54:09,213 --> 00:54:13,009 The bishop and the Count of Paris organize the city's defense. 833 00:54:13,176 --> 00:54:16,429 The Parisians put up fierce resistance around the Grand Pont, 834 00:54:16,596 --> 00:54:19,849 opposite the Chételet, or castle, guarding the river. 835 00:54:20,016 --> 00:54:22,685 They all hope for the royal army's support. 836 00:54:23,478 --> 00:54:26,105 But Charles the Fat refuses to fight 837 00:54:26,272 --> 00:54:29,859 and negotiates the end of the siege in exchange for a ransom. 838 00:54:33,613 --> 00:54:36,699 In danger of disappearing, shaky and fragile, 839 00:54:36,866 --> 00:54:39,118 Paris survives and pursues its destiny. 840 00:54:40,787 --> 00:54:43,039 In 987, a new dynasty, 841 00:54:43,206 --> 00:54:45,708 the Capetians, seizes power. 842 00:54:48,336 --> 00:54:52,215 Paris the capital is waiting for a visionary who will help it up 843 00:54:52,381 --> 00:54:56,052 and protect it from the challenges of the new age that is dawning. 844 00:55:30,480 --> 00:55:52,900 Subtitles: Vdm OCR Conversion done by KarMa of the MVGroup