From Vintium to Vence
Exploring the Ancient Roman Roots of Modern Day Vence

Walking through the narrow, twisting streets of Vence’s old town for the first time many years ago, I felt as though I had slipped through a crack in time. The medieval houses and buildings around every corner stood as extraordinary testaments to the town’s long and layered history. I knew that some of these houses dated back to the 1500s, and some surely even earlier. The Vence cathedral is said to be over a thousand years old, and two earlier churches likely occupied the same spot. Some sections of the old ramparts that make up the defensive wall surrounding the town may date back as far as the Dark Ages, nearly 1,500 years ago.

Yet few visitors to Vence realize that its history stretches back even further — much further. If you look closely at the western exterior wall of the cathedral, you can spot six small, flat stones with traces of ancient inscriptions embedded in the masonry. Weathered by centuries, they are hard to read, even for those familiar with Latin. Set against the imposing cathedral and the spacious Place Clémenceau, these small stones may seem modest, but their value is immense: they are among the most tangible surviving traces of Vence’s distant past as an important Roman city.

Vence played a modest but significant role in the Roman province of Gallia Narbonensis. While it was not one of the major urban centers of Roman Gaul (modern-day France), it had strategic and local importance due to its location and history. Recounting the history of Vence during its time as a Roman city is a challenge, as many of the historical accounts, not surprisingly, often offer slightly differing versions and accounts of events (most of which occurred over 2000 years ago). I’ve done my best to sort through the various sources that I can find and put together what I hope is an accurate representation of these years.

Former Roman cities are scattered all over the south of France, from Antibes to Fréjus to Orange to Nîmes to Arles and so many others. Impressive remains from Roman times can be found in all of these cities from one of the best-preserved Roman amphitheatres in the world in Nîmes to one of the most impressive Roman theatres in Orange. You won’t find any large Roman structures such as these in Vence, nothing similar has survived here. But if you know where to look you will certainly find an impressive collection of artifacts that attest to a period of time when Vence was part of the vast Roman Empire.

The Ligurian Tribes and the Nerusii

To fully understand Vence’s Roman heritage, we must look even further back, as the area was inhabited long before the Romans arrived. Sheltered to the north by the tall rock formations now known as the baous, blessed with mild weather and abundant sunshine, and surrounded by fresh water springs and rivers, this small plateau just a few kilometers from the sea offered an ideal setting for early human settlement.

Before the Roman conquest of Vence and its surroundings, the region was home to ancient indigenous tribes known as the Ligurians. When Celtic groups moved into the area, probably around the 8th century BCE, they gradually mixed with the Ligurian populations living in the lower parts of the region, giving rise to what became known as the Celto-Ligurians. These tribes occupied a broad expanse of territory stretching across much of southeastern France and into northern Italy.

Some of the earliest surviving accounts of the Ligurians come from two Greek historians: Diodorus of Sicily (Diodorus Siculus) and Posidonius of Apamea. Both lived during the period when the Ligurian tribes were still active in the western Mediterranean. Diodorus, in his Bibliotheca historica (Library of History), written in the late 1st century BCE, described the Ligurians as “slender and vigorous of body.” He continued, “The Ligurians inhabit a land which is stony and altogether wretched, and the life they live is, by reason of the toils and the continuous hardships they endure in their labour, a grievous one and unfortunate.”

According to Diodorus, the Ligurians were primarily herders and hunters, relying on the rugged landscape for survival. Large-scale agriculture was difficult in their mountainous homeland, so they depended on the land and their livestock. He portrayed them as fierce and resilient warriors, frequently engaged in raiding and conflict, whether defending their territories or attacking neighboring tribes.

Posidonius described the Ligurian tribes in a similar way, portraying them as a people living a harsh and primitive lifestyle shaped by their rugged, mountainous homeland. He emphasized their simplicity and frugality, presenting them as accustomed to hardship and known for their remarkable physical endurance and resilience. According to these accounts, they frequently engaged in warfare—both among themselves and against neighboring tribes or external forces like the Romans. Their harsh environment and demanding way of life made them formidable fighters.

Among these tribes, the Nerusii (sometimes referred to by some scholars as the Nemesii) are thought to have occupied the territory stretching from the Mediterranean Sea in the south to the Estéron River in the north, and from the Loup River in the west to the Var River in the east. Surrounding them were other Ligurian groups, including the Bericini, the Oratelli, the Suetri, the Ligauni, the Deceati, and the Vediantii.

The Nerusii were an independent and resilient people. In his Histoire de Vence (History of Vence), published in 1860, L’Abbé E. Tisserand, one of the first historians of Vence, speculated that their name might derive from the Greek sea god Nereus, though this seems unlikely, as no definitive link supports the connection. Because the Nerusii were a little-known people, we know very little about their language or cultural heritage. It is more plausible that their name reflected local spiritual or geographic associations, and it’s also possible that the name was altered in the Roman sources that recorded it.

The Nerusii likely lived a hard life in the rocky terrain of their homeland, where farming was difficult and labor-intensive. They probably cultivated some fields, particularly near the coast, with crops like wheat and barley. They also engaged in hunting and pastoralism, tending goats and sheep on the surrounding lands. While stone and bone tools may still have been in use, bronze and iron were already established in their culture, likely acquired through both local production and trade.

Very little physical evidence directly linked to the Nerusii has survived, but traces of fortified sites, known as oppida and castellaras, can still be found in the hills around Vence, dating from the 2nd and 1st centuries BCE. An oppidum, a permanent settlement, was typically built on a hilltop or elevated position for natural defense and served both as a military stronghold and as a center of trade and commerce, often positioned along key routes connecting the Mediterranean coast to the interior of Gaul.

A castellara was a smaller, often temporary enclosure used as a refuge in times of danger. Commander Octobon, a French military officer and prehistorian active in the early 20th century, identified eleven such castellaras in the vicinity of Vence, most notably near the Baou des Blancs and Baou des Noirs.

Vence was situated along an ancient route — more of a mule track or footpath — that linked the Mediterranean coast with the hinterlands beyond: Coursegoules, Gréolières, Thorenc, the Col de Bleyne, Saint-Auban, and ultimately the Rhône Valley. This strategic location made Vence an important stop for travelers along this inland corridor, and traders occasionally made their way into these hills, enabling the Ligurian tribes to engage in commerce with each other and, indirectly, with Mediterranean peoples such as the Phoenicians and the Phocaean Greeks. While the Phoenicians did not establish permanent settlements in the region, they were active as traders across the western Mediterranean and likely influenced coastal trade. The Phocaean Greeks, on the other hand, began establishing settlements along the southern Gaul coast as early as 600 BCE, when they founded Massalia — today’s Marseille.

The First Romans Arrive

By the 2nd century BCE, the Romans had begun expanding their influence into Gaul, aiming to secure control over the strategic routes connecting Italy to Spain.

In Histoire de Vence,Tisserand tells the story of a Roman military commande named Gaius Lælius who passed through the area in 274 BCE with a legion of soldiers attempting to establish a land route to Spain. The tribes near Cemenelum (Cimiez) resisted this intrusion into their lands but were quickly subdued. Lælius set up camp on the banks of the Var River between Carros and Gattières. On a dark night, while most of the soldiers lay sleeping, warriors from several local tribes, including the Nerusii, rushed into the camp, overpowering the soldiers and massacring everyone. There is, however, no actual historical evidence to substantiate this story and it most likely comes from a fictionalized account created much later.

Around 155 BCE, the Phocaean settlers in the region, particularly in Massalia (modern Marseille), appealed to Rome for assistance as they faced repeated attacks from Ligurian tribes. The Romans, eager to extend their presence in the western Mediterranean, responded. According to ancient accounts, Rome sent an envoy to the coastal town of Aegytna (modern Cannes), but the ambassador was attacked as soon as he arrived. In retaliation, the consul Quintus Opimius led a military campaign that resulted in the destruction of Aegytna. This intervention marked one of the early steps in Rome’s long process of conquest in southern Gaul.

Seeking to draw the Ligurians away from the vulnerable coastal cities, Opimius is believed to have advanced north into the hills around what is now Vence. According to local tradition or scholarly inference, some of the earliest inland clashes between the Romans and the Ligurian tribes may have taken place near the Loup River, possibly just a few kilometers from Vence. While details are scarce in the historical record, the Romans are believed to have won key victories in the area — early steps in what would become a long campaign to subdue the Ligurian peoples. It would take over a century, but this marked the beginning of the end for the Nerusii and their neighbors.

For decades, the Romans waged intermittent military campaigns throughout the region in an effort to break the fierce resistance of the Ligurian tribes. Though they may have lived simply, the Ligurians proved to be formidable defenders of their lands — resourceful, fierce, and resilient. They repeatedly attacked Roman positions, harassed settlements, and disrupted trade and communications across the region, delaying Roman consolidation for many years.

Diodorus writes of the Ligurians: “They say that often in campaigns the mightiest warrior among the Gauls has been challenged to single combat by a rather slender Ligurian and slain.” He further describes their arms and dress: “The weapons of the Ligurians are lighter in their structure than those of the Romans; for their protection is a long shield, worked in the Gallic fashion, and a shirt gathered in with a belt; about them they throw the skins of wild animals and carry a sword of moderate size. But some of them, now that they have been incorporated in the Roman state, have changed the type of their weapons, adapting themselves to their rulers.”

Some historical accounts suggest that the Ligurian tribes, when faced with Roman invasion, may have employed scorched earth tactics, destroying their own homes, villages, and crops to deny the enemy resources rather than submit to foreign rule — though firm documentation of this practice among the Ligurians is limited and should be treated with caution.

The famous Greek geographer Claudius Ptolemy is the only ancient author known to mention Vintium by name. In his influential work Geographia, written around 150 CE, Ptolemy cataloged numerous towns, cities, and geographic features across the Roman Empire, including Vintium, which appears in Book II, Chapter I. It should be noted, however, that Ptolemy often relied on earlier sources and the reports of other travelers; his work was not always based on firsthand observation.

In 124 BCE, Gaius Sextius Calvinus was sent to Gaul, where he led several successful military campaigns against rebellious tribes. Again and again, the tribes were defeated in battle, only to regroup and return to the fight. They were strong and agile warriors, skilled at moving through the thickets, rocks, and woods of the region, and they proved to be cunning adversaries whom the Romans found difficult to subdue completely.

A few years later, the Romans succeeded in consolidating their foothold in the region, and in 121 BCE they officially designated the territory as Provincia Romana, the first Roman province established outside of Italy. It would later become known as Gallia Narbonensis, named after the colony of Narbo Martius. Gaius Sextius Calvinus played a key role in securing the area and may have served as the province’s first governor.

Although the Ligurian tribes were officially “conquered,” they were far from subdued. The Nerusii and other small tribes likely struggled under harsh Roman rule, facing the loss of earlier privileges, heavy demands for food and money, forced conscription of their youth, and periods of near famine. Appeals to Rome, if they occurred, seem to have gone unanswered.

Farther north, the Allobroges, an ancient Celtic tribe near modern-day Lyon, were renowned for their fierce resistance to Roman expansion. In 62 BCE, exasperated by Roman control, they rose under the leadership of Cotugnatus, calling on other Gallic tribes to join their revolt. They initially posed a serious challenge to the Roman governor Gaius Pomptinus. According to some later accounts or local traditions, one of Pomptinus’s lieutenants, Manlius Lentinus, may have besieged Vence, where the inhabitants offered determined resistance; when neighboring tribes joined the fight, Lentinus was reportedly driven back, though he later returned and devastated the region. Ultimately, Cotugnatus and the Allobroges were defeated when Pomptinus received reinforcements from Rome, marking the collapse of major resistance to Roman occupation.

It would take nearly another century before all the indigenous tribes in the region were fully subdued. In the meantime, the Romans steadily consolidated their presence, founding cities, building roads, and developing infrastructure. They now had a more secure land corridor between Italy and Spain — a route crucial to their military operations and trade.

The Romans understood that one of the most effective ways to integrate conquered territories was to allow a measure of local autonomy and preserve certain traditions, helping to smooth their incorporation into the empire. Such appears to have been the case in the region around Vence. While Rome maintained firm control, local communities were likely left with some degree of self-governance, and from this point forward, reports of significant revolt in the area largely fade. By then, the remaining Ligurian tribes had been mostly pacified.

From 58 to 50 BCE, the renowned Gaius Julius Caesar — often simply called Julius Caesar — served as governor over southeastern Roman Gaul, including Gallia Narbonensis, as well as Gallia Cisalpina (northern Italy) and Illyricum (along the Adriatic). His time in these provinces helped further consolidate Roman authority in the region. Caesar’s military victories during the Gallic Wars (58–50 BCE), waged mainly in central and northern Gaul, paved the way for his rise as one of the most powerful figures of the Roman Republic and ultimately led to his assumption of the title dictator perpetuo (dictator for life), which gave him supreme power over the Roman state. He was famously assassinated in 44 BCE.

It was under the great Roman emperor Augustus that the Côte d’Azur was finally cleared of the last remaining Ligurian tribes, paving the way for full Roman occupation. Between around 25 BCE and 14 BCE, Augustus waged a series of campaigns that proved overwhelming for the local peoples. Roman forces likely employed harsh tactics, including the destruction of homes, fields, and resources, to break the resistance of the Nerusii and other Ligurian tribes, ultimately establishing lasting Roman dominance over the region.

The Nerusii are often considered one of the last Ligurian tribes to fall. According to some later accounts or reconstructions, two Roman armies may have converged on them — one advancing from the north near the Cheiron Range over the baous, and another crossing the Var River from the east near Nice — and defeated them in the area around Vence.

After Augustus’s victory over the Nerusii and over forty other local tribes, the Nerusii vanish from the historical record. The region was heavily disrupted, and some survivors likely fled into the high mountains north of Vence. Today, the name of the Nerusii (along with forty-four other tribes) can still be seen engraved on the Trophy of Augustus, the magnificent monument erected in honor of Augustus’s Alpine victories, at La Turbie around 6 or 7 BCE.

Vence Becomes Roman

The oppidum originally established by the Nerusii in Vence was likely transformed by the Romans into a small settlement. They called it Vincium or Vintium; some local traditions also mention an earlier form, Vincia, though this is less firmly attested. According to legend, the name derived from a Roman leader named Vencius, though no historical evidence supports this claim. Similar legends propose that the Lubiane and Malvan rivers were named after Roman leaders, Lubianus and Malvinus, respectively. In his work Inscriptions Romaines de Vence (Roman Inscriptions of Vence), the French naturalist and malacologist (a scientist who studies mollusks) Jules René Bourguignat challenged these claims, offering more linguistically grounded explanations.

The Lubiane River, which flows through Vence from the foothills of the Baous, runs almost parallel to the larger Loup River to the west. The Romans reportedly called these rivers Lupianus (“little wolf”) and Lupius (“wolf”), making it highly likely that the modern names Lubiane and Loup derive from these Latin roots, not from any Roman leaders.

As for the Malvan River, which flows through Vence before joining the Cagnes River, its name probably comes from the Latin mala vallis (“bad valley”) or possibly malvan, referring to the difficult, clay-rich terrain prone to landslides — again, not from any commander named Malvinus.

The name Vintium itself may derive from the Latin verb vincere (“to conquer, overcome”), though some scholars believe it stems from the root vin- or vent-, evoking mountainous features, as seen in names like Ventoux, Venturi, or Ventabren.

The Legend of Vencia, Nerusii Priestess

There also exists in Vence a legend that the name of the city is really derived from a beautiful virgin Nerusii priestess. The Roman general Marcius and his troops had crossed the Var, heading towards Vence. They easily overcame the resistance of the few poorly armed indigenous warriors who opposed them along the way.

By nightfall they were thirsty and exhausted from a long day of marching and fighting under the blistering Provencal sun. They were in dire need of water. All around them they could see fires breaking out in the hills. The smoke spread across the terrain and blinded them as they continued to move through the brush. It seemed the peasants were burning their crops in an attempt to deprive the Romans of food and starve them into retreat. After stopping to set up a camp at the foot of the baou near Vence most of the soldiers scattered in search of food and water. Marcius and his officers remained in the camp.

The bravest warrior among the Nerussi was a man known as Taletorius and he had sworn to die before submitting to Roman rule. He gathered up men, women and even children to confront the Roman soldiers and fight for their land. Vencia, a Nerusii priestess, joined them as they crept through night towards the Roman camp. Determined to outwit Marcius Vencia slipped into the almost deserted camp armed only with some wine from the local vineyards and a small axe she had hidden in her clothes.

When Vencia offered her wine to Marcius and his officers they were more than happy to accept. Dazzled by her beauty, enchanted by her mysterious allure and captivated by her seductive charms the general and his men drank until their thirst was quenched. Marcius ordered Vencia to dance for their pleasure, to which she willingly complied. As her body swayed and twirled she fluttered from one man to another tempting and enticing them with all her wild and uninhibited charisma. Soon the officers were mad with desire and jealousy. Fights broke out, and in a very short time they had all killed one another in their vain attempts to possess this radiant priestess of the Nerusii.

Marcius was the only man left and in a fog of lust and wine he pledged his love and devotion to Vencia only to have her split his skull with her axe. The council of the Nerusii, in gratitude and appreciation to the priestess that had saved them proclaimed that the baou where the Roman general had been slain should be named Vencia. And that, some say, is how Vence really got its name.

Roman Occupation

By custom, conquered lands were often distributed to veterans of Roman military campaigns, and it is likely that Vence followed this pattern. Surviving women from the local Nerusii tribe may have intermarried with Roman soldiers, a practice that Rome saw as beneficial for the swift Romanization of the region. In time, children born of these unions would have identified more with Rome than with their Ligurian ancestors.

The Notitia Galliarum, part of the late Roman administrative document known as the Notitia Dignitatum, lists Vence among the eight civitates of the province, alongside Embrum, Digne, Senez, and others. In his 1655 Notice de l’Empire, the French historian André Duchesne compiled information on the Roman Empire’s geography and administration, and in his version, Vence still appears, while Briançonnet, Glandevez, Castellane, and Cimiez are absent.

For several centuries, this small Roman outpost lingered in relative obscurity. Its inhabitants struggled to make a living, burdened by the weight of Roman taxation: the census, a property tax to fund the army; the decuma, a required tenth of grain and a fifth of fruit harvests; and the scriptura, a tax on public pastures and forests — all of which contributed to a long-enduring sense of hardship and economic pressure.

It wasn’t until the late 2nd and early 3rd centuries CE that Vence (Vintium) began to emerge as a notable Roman settlement in the Alpes-Maritimes. This period marked one of relative prosperity for many parts of the Roman Empire, especially in southern Gaul, although the grand monuments we admire today in cities like Nîmes, Orange, and Arles were largely built during the earlier height of imperial patronage under Augustus and the Flavian and Antonine emperors.

Drawn by the promise of sunshine, fresh air, and fertile hillsides, more Roman settlers made their way to Vintium and other parts of Gaul. Here, they found a quieter, more spacious life than they might have known in Rome — a chance to enjoy the benefits of Roman citizenship without the noise, crowds, and congestion of the capital.

The 17th-century French historian Honoré Bouche, known for his extensive writings on Provence, described Vintium in his Chorography or Description of Provence and the Chronological History of the Same Country as “a city of great importance, inhabited by people of standing.” Nearly a century later, Jean-Pierre Papon, in his four-volume General History of Provence (1777–1786), remarked, “In Roman times it was much more significant.”

The Roman emperors appreciated the mild climate of this region, believing it beneficial to health. Local tradition holds that Nero sent his wife Poppaea to Nice to recover from an illness, and that Gallienus and his wife Salonina visited Nicopolis near Nîmes — though these accounts lack firm confirmation in surviving ancient sources.

Over the following centuries, Vence functioned as a municipium — a Roman town with partial self-governance under imperial law. Residents enjoyed varying levels of Roman citizenship, which granted legal rights and responsibilities similar to those of full citizens, though not all had full voting privileges. The city provided financial contributions and military recruits to Rome, yet generally retained control over its local affairs.

Interestingly, several family names found in Vence today — such as Maliver (Malivernus), Taladoyre (Talatorius), Malamaire (Malamater), and Mars (Marsius) — are thought to have Latin roots, though direct genealogical links to Roman ancestors remain a matter of local tradition and are difficult to verify with certainty.

Roman Infrastructure

As more settlers arrived, new villas and houses were built in and around Vence. Temples were erected, including one to Mars, and it is generally accepted that the present Vence Cathedral stands on or near the site of this former temple. Some sources also suggest the presence of a temple to Cybele. An aqueduct or water system was built to bring fresh spring water into the town. Like most Roman cities, Vintium had a forum — a central marketplace and civic gathering place — and local tradition identifies Place Clémenceau as its location. Public buildings and administrative spaces likely served the needs of this small but important community.

Over time, Vence grew into a bustling civitas, complete with magistrates (local elected officials), decemvirs (special commissioners for civic tasks), priests, and decurions (local council members responsible for city governance). These roles reflected the full integration of the town into the administrative and social fabric of the Roman Empire.

Unfortunately, no systematic archaeological excavations have been carried out in Vence. If they were, it is very likely that a wealth of Roman ruins and artifacts could be uncovered beneath the modern streets.

Economy and Trade

Vintium’s economy was most likely centered largely around agriculture. While the surrounding hills are rocky and sparse, the valleys near the town are fertile and would have supported crops such as wheat, barley, and millet, along with vineyards for wine production.

Archaeological finds, including counterweights from old olive presses, show that olive cultivation and oil production were also important economic activities. These agricultural products were likely traded with neighboring Roman settlements and larger coastal cities.

Various forms of craftsmanship probably complemented the agricultural economy, with local artisans producing pottery, tools, and other goods that could be exchanged both within the region and along broader Roman trade networks reaching distant parts of the empire.

Water – The Source of Life

Today, Vence is home to more than 20 beautiful freshwater fountains. Some are small and almost go unnoticed except by longtime residents, while others — such as the Fontaine du Peyra and the Basse Fontaine — are striking landmarks that attract photographers and visitors alike. The Fontaine du Peyra was officially declared a Historical Monument in 1920.

What all of these fountains share is a common water source: the nearby Foux spring, which has supplied the town with water for centuries. This same spring provided water to the Romans, though it was possibly known at the time by a different name, sometimes later referred to as Petit-Loup. The Romans built an aqueduct system to carry the spring water into the settlement.

As late as the mid-1800s, traces of the old Roman aqueduct could still be seen along the road from Vence to the Pont de la Foux. Some sections were reported to be remarkably well-preserved, and according to local accounts, parts may have remained in use or been adapted for local water needs.

A fragment of a Roman inscription, likely commemorating the builders of the aqueduct, is still visible today, embedded in the wall of the cathedral vestibule. At one time, two pieces of this inscription were present in the cathedral, but sadly the second fragment has been lost. It was reportedly embedded in the cathedral pavement but disappeared sometime between 1874 and 1878. Unfortunately, too little of the original text survives to allow for a meaningful translation.

Surviving Roman Inscriptions

Although no large structures such as temples, amphitheaters, theaters, or grand villas have survived in Vence from Roman times, a modest but valuable collection of stone inscriptions remains. These inscriptions fall into four main categories: votive, honorific, funerary, and milestone inscriptions.

Some of these objects are badly damaged, and a few survive only as small fragments, offering limited information. However, around two dozen notable pieces have been identified, many of which are of significant historical interest. Some are still visible in public spaces, while others are kept in more protected settings.

In 1936, a small lapidary museum was established in the basement of the Vence Town Hall to display many of these stones, but it closed just four years later, in 1940. The stones were then moved to an “open-air lapidary museum” at the Belvédère Fernand Moutet, a small plaza overlooking the Lubiane Valley. Unfortunately, during this period, some stones were stolen or lost. In 1964, the remaining pieces were transferred to the basements of the Chapel of the White Penitents and the Vence Château (now home to the Vence Museum), though further losses occurred. Finally, in 1999, the surviving inscriptions were moved to the Sainte-Anne chapel for permanent safekeeping.

The most important and widely recognized Roman artifacts in Vence are the two granite columns known as the Marseille Columns, which date from the 3rd century CE. Their original purpose has been the subject of much debate. Some historians believe they were part of a Roman temple or civic building, while others have proposed that they marked territorial boundaries between Marseille and Vence, or — though less likely — that they served as milestones. Some researchers have also suggested that additional columns may once have existed, with only these two surviving.

The columns bear Latin inscriptions that provide some clues, but their full meaning remains debated, partly because the inscriptions are incomplete. We know that Marseille is mentioned, as is a man named Julius Honoratus, who was likely responsible for their commissioning or construction.

For more than a thousand years, the two columns stood side by side, likely reused inside the Vence Cathedral to support the vaulting of the choir. They were separated around 1770, when the cathedral was enlarged. One column was placed in Place Godeau, a small square behind the cathedral (formerly the town cemetery), while the other was initially used to support a fish market in Place Clémenceau before being moved to the Grand Jardin, the large public square near the town center.

You can read a more in-depth account of the Marseille Columns in this article: The Marseille Columns of Vence.

Other roman stones which can be seen on a visit to Vence include:

The Taurobolium Stone. This stone is embedded in the west side of the Vence Cathedral’s outer wall. It commemorates an ancient Roman religious ceremony known as the taurobolium, in which a bull was sacrificed above a pit where a priest or initiate stood beneath a grating. The participant, drenched in the blood, would emerge symbolically purified and reborn. While the stone does not narrate the ritual, it records that it took place.

The Dedications to Heliogabalus and Gordian III. On each side of the entrance to the Vence Cathedral, at street level, a stone is embedded in the wall. Both date to the early 3rd century CE and are dedicated to these Roman emperors. One of these stones was rediscovered in 1807, buried beneath Place Clémenceau during renovation works.

Dedication to Publius Licinius. This stone is embedded in the wall at the corner of Rue Saint-Lambert and Impasse de la Rouette. It is the only surviving piece in Vence clearly identified as the pedestal of a statue. The dedication honors Publius Licinius Cornelius Saloninus, the young son of Emperor Gallienus. The inscription records that it was erected by order of the decurions, the local civic officials responsible for governing the city.

Dedication to Aurelia and Cornelia Sabinilla.
A monument erected jointly by Julius Marcianus and his mother-in-law, Maximia Quintina, in memory of his wife and her sister, Aurelia and Cornelia Sabinilla. It is currently embedded in the west side of the Vence Cathedral’s outer wall.

Lucius Valerianus and Vibia Paterna.
One of the greatest fears in Roman society was to be denied burial, a punishment typically reserved for criminals or traitors. To avoid such disgrace, many Romans had funerary monuments set up during their lifetimes. This is the case with this inscription, which records that Lucius Valerianus and his wife, Vibia Paterna, commissioned the monument while still alive. It is embedded in the west side of the cathedral’s outer wall.

Dedication to Julius Eugenius.
This funerary dedication is to Julius Eugenius, who may have been a young man adopted or fostered by the person whose name he bore. While formal orphanages did not exist in Roman times, children without parents were sometimes placed with foster families, often receiving the family name. This stone is currently embedded in the west side of the cathedral’s outer wall.

Dedication to Onesiphorus.
This stone, also embedded in the west side of the cathedral’s outer wall, was set up by a mother, Jucundilla, in memory of her son, Onesiphorus, who died at the age of 25.

Mæcia Valeria.
Another stone on the west side of the cathedral’s outer wall records that Mæcia Valeria commissioned her own funerary inscription during her lifetime — a common practice in Roman society.

You can read a more in-depth account of the Roman artifacts found in Vence in this article: Uncovering Vence’s Roman Legacy – Exploring the Roman Artifacts of Vintium.

Roman Roads in the Vicinity of Vence

Vence was connected to nearby Roman settlements — notably Cemenelum (now Cimiez, a district of Nice), Antipolis (Antibes), and Forum Julii (Fréjus) — through an extensive and sophisticated network of Roman roads. These connections greatly benefited Vence by integrating it into the broader Roman world, facilitating trade, military movement, and communication. Roman roads were engineered for durability and efficiency, often paved with large, flat stones in busy sections, and laid out in as straight a line as possible to reduce travel time. While major routes typically ran east-west, secondary roads also provided crucial north-south links.

The Via Aurelia

The Via Aurelia, one of the oldest Roman roads, was begun in 144 BCE by L. Aurelius Cotta. It was extended along the coast to Genoa by Æmilius Scaurus and later reached Arles under Emperor Augustus. In the region of the Alpes Maritimae, this route became known as the Via Julia Augusta, connecting La Turbie, Cimiez, Antibes, Auribeau, and Fréjus. Numerous milestones from this road have been discovered, bearing dedications to emperors such as Augustus, Tiberius, Nero, and Antoninus.

Vintium did not lie directly on the Via Aurelia or Via Julia Augusta but was linked to them by a network of smaller roads, creating vital routes to the coast and ensuring the smooth movement of people and goods between Vintium and other Roman cities.

The Via Julia Augusta

Evidence shows that an important Roman road ran east to west through Gaul along an inland route, extending the older Via Aurelia along the Mediterranean. Known as the Via Julia Augusta, it was formally developed around 13 BCE by the first Roman emperor, Augustus (also known as Octavian). The road passed through La Turbie, where Augustus commemorated his Alpine victories with the Trophy of Augustus, and was extended westward through Cimiez, Antibes, and Fréjus before eventually joining the Via Domitia near Arles.

For a long time, early scholars mistakenly attributed milestones from this road to the Via Aurelia, until the discovery of inscriptions clarifying the existence and course of the Via Julia Augusta. In 1744, Jean-Paul Ricolvi found milestones in the Laghet Valley near La Turbie that helped establish the road’s identity and route.

The French writer and historian Edmond Blanc was the first to link the Via Julia Augusta to Vence. In his 1877 book Vence and the Via Julia Augusta, Blanc described discoveries he made during 1875 excavations, including traces of a Roman road running between Vence and the Var River, about two kilometers downstream from Gattières. He proposed that the road ascended from the Var to Saint-Jeannet, continued to Vence via the Saint-Michel plateau, and passed near Fort Carré (an ancient enclosure now destroyed). Along the route, Blanc reported finding medals, pottery, lachrymatories (tear bottles), funerary inscriptions, and remains of tombs and temples.

In Vence’s old town, at Place Godeau, a small street called Rue des Portiques is believed by local tradition to mark the point where the Via Julia Augusta connected to the eastern side of Vence during Roman times.

Blanc was convinced that the Via Julia Augusta was the oldest land route between Italy and Gaul, identifying it with the road described by ancient authors such as Aristotle, Polybius (a greek historian and statesman), Diodorus, Cassius Dio (a Roman historian), and Silius Italicus (a Roman senator and poet) — and even linking it to the myth of Hercules forging a passage through the Alps, though this connection remains legendary rather than historical.

In its day, the Via Julia Augusta was an exceptional example of Roman engineering that played a crucial role in the development of what is now southern France. The road is said to have measured about three and a half meters wide, and in some sections, it was paved with large quarried stone blocks up to a meter square — especially in heavily traveled stretches.

The Via Julia Augusta was not superseded by the Via Aurelia; in fact, it was a western extension of that earlier road, begun under Augustus to link Italy with Roman Gaul. By the 5th century CE, following the decline of the Western Roman Empire, the road had fallen into disrepair, with many sections left to crumble and fade into the landscape. In the Napoleonic era, new roads were constructed that often followed the ancient Roman alignments, but they were not full-scale restorations of the original road.

The American author, botanist, and naturalist Donald Culross Peattie, who lived in Vence with his family in the late 1920s, offers a vivid description of the local traces of the road in his book Immortal Village — the only English-language book focused on the history of Vence. He describes how the old road ran from Saint-Jeannet through Vence and into the woods of La Conque, then descended into the Malvan Valley. He writes: “It is little more than a deep lane now, but still in use by peasants’ carts, school children, and Sunday-evening lovers, who follow it past the ruined chapel of Bon Voyage.” According to Peattie, the road crossed a masonry bridge, climbed through the neighborhood now known as La Sine, rose above the road to Grasse, and then descended toward Tourrettes-sur-Loup before continuing westward.

The Via Cemeneliana *

This secondary road, named after Cemenelum (Cimiez), ran from Cimiez to Riez. After leaving Cimiez, it followed the left bank of the Var River to Glandèves (near Entrevaux), then continued on to Annot, Castellane, Senez, and finally Riez, where it joined the Via Aurelia. While some older accounts have suggested it passed through Vence, this is considered unlikely. Milestones from the Via Cemeneliana have been found near Senez, Glandèves, and Castellane.

The Via Alpina *

Another secondary road branched off from the Via Cemeneliana heading north into the Tinée Valley, probably passing through Chanz, Pierlas, Rimplas, and Saint-Sauveur, before crossing the mountains — perhaps at the Col de l’Argentière — and descending to Barcelonnette, ending at Embrun. Milestones from this road have been found near Pierlas, Rimplas, and Saint-Sauveur.

The Via Vintiana *

This secondary road ran from Vence to Gréolières, Séranon, and through the Thorenc Valley to Castellane, where it connected to the Via Cemeneliana. Milestones bearing the names of Emperor Marcus Aurelius and Procurator Julius Honoratus have been reported.

The Via Vintiana was identified and named by Jules René Bourguignat during his 1860s visits to Vence. Local residents directed him to a site near the top of the Col de Vence (between Vence and Coursegoules) where inscribed stones had been seen. Bourguignat discovered the remains of an ancient Roman quarry, noting five large depressions over 100 feet long and about 20 feet deep, filled with broken and chisel-marked stones, unfinished capitals, and columns — one of which bore traces of inscription. Since this quarry was distant from known Roman roads, he theorized that it served a previously undocumented road running from the Var River through Vence, Coursegoules, Haut-Gréolières, Séranon, and Castellane.

He found two milestones in Gréolières and one in the Col de Vence quarry area. According to local accounts, within just 20 years prior to his visit, several other inscribed columns had stood near the quarries, but only one remained by the time of his study.

Note: As Bourguignat himself acknowledges in his Inscriptions Romaines de Vence, he was “forced to create” the names Via Cemeneliana, Via Alpina, and Via Vintiana to distinguish these routes in his work. Documentation beyond his writings is scarce, and modern scholarship advises a degree of caution when interpreting these routes.

Christianity and Vence

Christianity began to take root in Vence as early as the 3rd or 4th century CE, just as it did in other parts of the Roman Empire. St. Trophimus of Arles is traditionally believed to have been the first to bring the word of Christ to Vence, with some traditions placing this as early as 161 CE, though precise dates remain uncertain. St. Audinus (or Audentius) became the first known Bishop of Vence around 363. Sometime later, the first Christian church was built, perhaps even using stones from a recently dismantled Roman temple dedicated to Mars. According to legend, the Vençois buried statues of Roman deities (false gods to the Christians) under each church pillar to symbolize the victory of Christ over paganism.

Vence played an important role in spreading Christianity in the region during the last days of Roman rule. In 381, Bishop Eusebius of Vence attended the Council of Aquileia, along with the bishops of Nice and Arles. Other bishops followed: Juvenius in 410 and Arcadius in 430, who attended the Council of Riez in 439 and died in 446.

The church in Vence was placed under the patronage of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary. Nearby towns, including Villeneuve, Carros, Saint-Laurent, Malvans, Boyon, and Le Broc, also chose Mary as their patroness.

The last bishop of Vence before the fall of the Western Roman Empire was its most famous and beloved: Saint Véran, now one of Vence’s two patron saints (along with Saint Lambert). A former monk at the monastery of Lérins, Véran was born around 403 to a wealthy family. He became Bishop of Vence on October 10, 446, serving for over 40 years until his death in 492 at the age of 89. Some sources suggest Véran may have briefly served as Bishop of Lyon before returning to Vence, though this remains uncertain.

These were dangerous times. Attacks from barbarian groups were always a possibility. While the Vandals had by then settled in North Africa, the Visigoths under King Euric were expanding their territory in southern Gaul, threatening cities like Vence.

Saint Véran was known for his holiness, leadership, and unwavering dedication to Catholic orthodoxy. He played a key role in resisting the spread of Arianism, a theological doctrine that denied the full divinity of Christ, directly contradicting the orthodox Christian belief in the Trinity. Though there is no firm documentary evidence, tradition holds that Véran was respected by Pope Leo the Great and may have been called upon to help resolve disputes between bishops in the region. Véran is also recorded as attending the Council of Arles in 475.

His most famous act, according to tradition, was confronting Euric, King of the Visigoths, in 476. Euric, an Arian Christian and an educated, ambitious leader, had vowed to impose his religious views across his expanding realm. Euric was an Arian Christian and as king of the Visogoths he exerted considerable pressure on the Catholic Church. He and his followers were known for persecuting those who held orthodox Christian beliefs. Though he had vowed to destroy all those not willing to convert to his view of Christianity, he was not a barbarian, but rather a well-educated, well-spoken man who knew much about history and politics.

Euric and his army arrived near what we know today as Pont-du-Loup, a small town on the banks of the Loup River a short distance from Vence. The story goes that Saint Véran strode confidently into the center of Euric’s camp, walking calmly past the soldiers and warriors. He respectfully but sternly admonished Euric for his Arian beliefs and despite the obvious danger he urged him to convert to Catholicism and cease his oppression of the orthodox Christian community. Véran’s powerful spiritual authority and persuasive words somehow convinced Euric to retreat and leave the city of Vence unharmed. This led to Véran becoming known as the “Defender of the City,” a title that continues to this day.

In another, much more dramatic and fantasized version of this legend, Véran confronted Euric more forcefully, “commanding him to cease his abominable crimes.” In this version Euric is a blood-thirsty barbarian, devoid of any religious beliefs. Euric, enraged by the daring boldness of Véran threatened to split him from head to toe with his spear. Véran remained firm daring the warrior to strike him. Euric drew back and threw his spear at Véran only to see the spear change course in mid-air, fly above his head and embed itself into a distant tree. What looked like blood could be seen gushing from the wound in the tree.

“Bishop,” said Euric, “if by tomorrow morning flowers bloom around my spear I will believe in your words and accept your God.” Véran sat beneath the tree all night in prayer. The next morning a purple bindweed could indeed be seen growing and blooming all around the spear. When he saw this miracle Euric fell to his knees and exclaimed, “Bishop, your God is now my God and I shall obey!” “Return from where you came,” said Véran, “and commit no more crimes.” The Visogoth army vanished into the hills. Saint Véran had saved Vence.

When Saint Véran died, he was venerated as a saint almost immediately. His body was placed in a beautiful Roman sarcophagus, which today forms part of the altar in the chapel dedicated to him inside the Vence Cathedral. Later, his relics were transferred to a container placed beneath a silver-plated bust of him in the cathedral choir. Every year on the Monday after Easter, Vence holds a ceremony in honor of Saint Véran and Saint Lambert, during which wooden busts of the two saints are carried in procession through the town.

The Decline of Roman Influence

As the Roman Empire weakened in the 4th and 5th centuries, Vence’s fortunes, like those of the rest of Roman Gaul, declined. After sacking Rome in 410, the Visigoths moved into southern Gaul, plundering and raiding along their path. Although they were repelled at Marseille, they reappeared in the region during the 420s and 430s. Still, many Roman towns, including Vence, managed to hold their ground.

In 443, the Burgundians, newly settled in the Rhône Valley, extended their influence eastward. While the details remain unclear, it is possible that Vence came under Burgundian control, characterized by their strong Christian—though often Arian—identity.

With the collapse of the Western Roman Empire at the end of the 5th century, Roman authority fragmented, and cities like Vence became vulnerable to further invasions, including those of the Visigoths and Ostrogoths. The so-called Dark Ages followed, and little is known with certainty about what transpired in Vence over the next few centuries.

Access

Vence can easily be reached from just about anywhere in France by taking the A8 until you get to Cagnes-sur-Mer. If you are coming from the east get off on Exit 48 and if you are coming from the west you’ll want Exit 47. Take the M336, then the M36 and finally the M236 north into Vence. The most accessible parking is in the Parking du Grand Jardin, right next to the old town. Parking Toreille and Marie Antoinette Parking are both close by as well.

There are two buses which run from Nice to Vence: #9 and #655. Just be careful with the #9, it can be a bit confusing because it has two routes leaving from the Park Phoenix in Nice. One route stops at the Polygon Riviera mall which is still about 8kms from Vence. Look at the route displayed on the front of the bus at the top. It should say “L’Ara” which is the last bus stop in Vence. All the #9 buses returning to Nice from Vence go all the way to Park Phoenix.

There is no train service directly to Vence. You can take the train to Cagnes-sur-Mer and then take either the #9 or #655 bus from Cagnes-sur-Mer to Vence.

The Vence Office de Tourisme is just across the street from the Grand Jardin. All of the Roman artifacts which are viewable by the public are just a very short walk from any of the above parking lots. While you can visit the old town at any time, on any day of the year, I would suggest that you try to come on any day but Sunday or Monday so that you might enjoy some of the shops and boutiques that will otherwise be closed.