THE PONT DU GARD
France
Roman Aqueduct for the Ages
Julius Caesar takes on Vercingetorix and the Gauls as we travel to Provence in Southern France. The Pont du Gard is a Roman aqueduct, the largest left standing, and it's just one of the many legacies the Romans left in the land of lavender and sunshine.
While here, we visit Avignon and spend a detour talking about the papacy and the Slap of Agnani - one of those surprising little histories we've all forgotten that had a tremendous impact on the world.
To eat, how about some ratatouille? Except that it's January and so good tomatoes are hard to find. So let's try soupe au pistou instead!
Bienvenue!
Sources:
Alston, Richard. Rome's Revolution: Death of the Republic and Birth of the Empire
Caesar, Gaius Julius. The Conquest of Gaul
Dando-Collins, Stephen. Caesar's Legion: the Epic Saga of Julius Caeser's Elite Tenth Legion and the Armies of Rome
Funck-Brentano, Frantz. A History of Gaul: Celtic, Roman and Frankish Rule
Goldsworthy, Adrian. Caesar: Life of a Colossus
Holland, Tom. Rubicon : the last years of the Roman Republic
Lonely Planet Guide to France
Matyszak, Phillip. Chronicle of the Roman Republic: the Rulers of Ancient Rome from Romulus to Augustus
Plutarch. Lives
Steel, C.E.W. The End of the Roman Republic, 146 to 44 BC: Conquest and Crisis
Photo by wikipedia user Patrick Clenet