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Roman France
The New York Times ^ | May 17, 2009 | ELAINE SCIOLINO

Posted on 05/16/2009 11:08:02 PM PDT by Cincinna

THE summer evening was autumnally cold and damp, the backless stone seats in the outdoor theater unforgiving. Many of the 8,000 spectators were irritable; most of us had shown for a rained-out performance the night before.

And frankly, I’ve seen better productions of “Carmen.” But as the performers began to move, their shadows rose 100 feet and danced across the imposing backdrop of a yellow limestone wall. A marble statue of Caesar Augustus stood ghostly white upon his perch in the wall, his right arm raised as if he had just commanded the singers to begin their performance. When Carmen sang for the last time, a bird somewhere in the black sky sang back as her shadow fell.

I had been transported into the past, watching a performance in a semicircular Roman theater in the southern French city of Orange much as spectators had done 2,000 years ago. "snip"

Visitors to France do not usually seek out evidence of Rome’s conquest of what was then called Gaul (now essentially modern-day France and Belgium). Indeed, the French do not dwell on their colonization by ancient Roman imperialists. Instead, they celebrate the “Gallic” part: the stories of proud, strong natives who thrived in that era. (The most popular contemporary portrayals of Roman rule in France are the comic book and film adventures of Astérix and Obélix, the Gallic village heroes who use stealth and cunning against the Roman invaders.)

Over the years, I have discovered traces of Roman civilization throughout the country, from Arras in the north to Dijon in the center and Fréjus in the south. My hunt for Roman Gaul has turned up treasures in the oddest places, including the middle of wheat fields, the foundations of churches and the basements of dusty provincial museums.

(Excerpt) Read more at travel.nytimes.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society; Extended News; Foreign Affairs
KEYWORDS: architecture; france; godsgravesglyphs; romanruins; rome
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1 posted on 05/16/2009 11:08:02 PM PDT by Cincinna
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To: Cincinna

how many paragraphs in do oblations to Obama start?


2 posted on 05/16/2009 11:10:51 PM PDT by the invisib1e hand (the machines will break.)
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To: Cincinna

So the French don’t like to remember that the Romans walked all over them? They should be used to it.


3 posted on 05/16/2009 11:14:56 PM PDT by ozzymandus
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To: Cincinna; nctexan; MassachusettsGOP; paudio; ronnie raygun; Minette; fieldmarshaldj; untenured; ...

*** FRENCH POLITICS AND CULTURE PING LIST *** FREEPMAIL ME IF YOU WANT TO JOIN ***

GODS, GRAVES, AND GLYPHS PING LIST: PLEASE COPY

The architectural legacy of the Romans in France is incredibly rich. The South of France is full of Roman ruins. In the little towns of Arles, Nimes,and Orange, there are Roman temples and a colosseum in almost perfect condition.


MAISON CARREE ROMAN TEMPLE NIMES FRANCE


ARLES, FRANCE ARENA STILL USED FOR BULL FIGHTS


The Pont du Gard, an aqueduct in southern France


4 posted on 05/16/2009 11:26:39 PM PDT by Cincinna (TIME TO REBUILD * PALIN * JINDAL * CANTOR 2012)
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To: the invisib1e hand

Totally irrelevant comment. Please stay on topic.


5 posted on 05/16/2009 11:27:52 PM PDT by Cincinna (TIME TO REBUILD * PALIN * JINDAL * CANTOR 2012)
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To: Cincinna

You post from the NYTimes, you take what it inspires.


6 posted on 05/16/2009 11:30:39 PM PDT by the invisib1e hand (the machines will break.)
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To: the invisib1e hand

This is a PING List on French Politics and Culture.


7 posted on 05/16/2009 11:32:32 PM PDT by Cincinna (TIME TO REBUILD * PALIN * JINDAL * CANTOR 2012)
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To: Cincinna

Sounds like a great tour.


8 posted on 05/17/2009 12:01:21 AM PDT by GVnana
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To: Cincinna

Thanks, beautifully written and the images are brilliant, I really had no idea the Romans made such an impression on France, never saw any of that before. Very informative.


9 posted on 05/17/2009 12:25:51 AM PDT by Fred Nerks (fair dinkum!)
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To: Cincinna

Please add me to this ping list. Thank You


10 posted on 05/17/2009 12:30:39 AM PDT by DariusBane (Even the Rocks shall cry out "Hobamma to the Highest")
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To: Cincinna

There are times when I think that the standing order for the Roman Legions was; “Don’t just stand there, BUILD SOMETHING!” When you see these kind of works I think that we see one of the reasons that we, as a civilization, hearken back to Rome, its bones are our birthplace. The Jefferson Memorial could have been transplanted direct yet it so suits our sensibilities. Thanks for this post!


11 posted on 05/17/2009 3:59:13 AM PDT by SES1066 (Cycling to conserve, Conservative to save, Saving to Retire, will Retire to Cycle.)
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To: SES1066

“Don’t just stand there, BUILD SOMETHING!” was the standing order of the Roman Legions. Idle soldiers got into trouble, so when they weren’t fighting or training, they built.


12 posted on 05/17/2009 6:14:20 AM PDT by GAB-1955 (I write books, love my wife, serve my nation, and believe in the Resurrection.)
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To: Cincinna

Roman building makes me think we haven’t progressed nearly as much as we should have.


13 posted on 05/17/2009 6:18:18 AM PDT by decimon
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To: Cincinna

...and all that history washed away in 3 decades, due to a single generation of people with a misguided GUILT-COMPLEX.

Back to the Dark Ages for Europe...and best of luck there.


14 posted on 05/17/2009 6:22:35 AM PDT by BobL (Drop a comment: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2180357/posts)
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To: All

So What!
There are Roman ruins all over Europe.
Typically lame Time’s article.


15 posted on 05/17/2009 6:24:04 AM PDT by paristwelve
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To: Cincinna

The imagery of the article would have worked better had the play been Antigone or some such. To be instantly tranported back 2000 years while seeing a performance of Carmen? Not so much.


16 posted on 05/17/2009 9:37:04 AM PDT by 2 Kool 2 Be 4-Gotten
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To: Cincinna

When in Avignon, must eat at Le Chat Gourmet.


17 posted on 05/17/2009 3:05:19 PM PDT by Ben Chad
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To: 2 Kool 2 Be 4-Gotten

In France, it is very common to use existing Roman ruins as theaters, or locations for music and music festivals.

For example, the world famous Nice Festival du Jazz that attracts the finest jazz performers is held yearly at Cimiez, the ruins of a vast Roman complex on a hilltop in Nice.

The Arena at Arles, is used for bull fights to this day. The setting for Opera in a grand antique space is extraordinary.

The French don’t consider this a Museum, but something very much alive and useful in the present.


18 posted on 05/17/2009 8:05:46 PM PDT by Cincinna (TIME TO REBUILD * PALIN * JINDAL * CANTOR 2012)
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To: paristwelve

Some of the most beautiful, and best preserved Roman ruins are in France, where they have been cared for and restored.

Another extraordinary place for Roman ruius is Sicily,


19 posted on 05/17/2009 8:07:54 PM PDT by Cincinna (TIME TO REBUILD * PALIN * JINDAL * CANTOR 2012)
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To: Cincinna

Yes I know - I remember being at the Coliseum in Arles. I was just commenting about how the author said that they were “transported back 2000 years” while watching Carmen, which was written in the 1870’s.


20 posted on 05/17/2009 8:12:56 PM PDT by 2 Kool 2 Be 4-Gotten
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