FORUM SEGUSIAVORUM
(Feurs) Loire, France.
Chief city of the Segusiavi, between Saint-Etienne and Roanne. The city is mentioned by Ptolemy
(
Geog. 4.8). Several Celtic oppida have been located in
the region, at La Crêt-Chatelard, Essalois, Le Châtelard
de Chazi. Situated in the center of the Forez plain,
Forum Segusiavorum became an important market in
Roman times, lying as it did at the junction of roads
from Lugdunum to Rodumna and Augustodunum, from
Lugdunum to Burdigala, and from Lugdunum to Tolosa.
The city extended along the Loire from N to S, between the river to the W and a Roman cemetery to the
E that lies left of the road running from La Boaterie to
the railroad. In the La Boaterie district traces of a building (temple?) have been found, and 12 granite pedestals
arranged in two rows. To the E of these were the remains
of a rectangular building (25 x 11.5 m) with a double
portico in front and a smaller building to N and S.
Under the church are the ruins of a Roman building
that may be connected with an inscription built into the
chevet, honoring the Numen Aug[usti] and the god Silvanus and made by the corporation of carpenters, the
fabri tignuar[ii].
The city had a theater, as yet undiscovered; an inscription (
CIL XIII, 1642) mentions that under Claudius the
wooden structure was replaced by one of masonry. In
the N sector of the city there were probably some baths.
Several sections of aqueducts have been found.
The local museum has inscriptions, pottery, and statues. There are also some finds at the Musée de la Diana
at Montbrison.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Roux,
Recherches sur Forum Segusiavorum et l'origine gallo-romaine de la ville de Feurs
(1851)
PI; R. Périchon,
Feurs à l'époque gallo-romaine
(1971)
PI.
M. LEGLAY
