PUISSALICON
Canton of Servian, Hérault, France.
Large Gallo-Roman villa 13 km N of Béziers
on the banks of the Libron. It is near the old Romanesque
church of Saint-Étienne-de-Pezan, of which only the
splendid campanile remains. The ancient architectural
ensemble, shaped like a U open to the N, includes a
large pool, baths, living quarters, and outbuildings. The
interior decoration was particularly elaborate (marble
floors and wall facings, painted plaster). There are numerous signs of remodeling. The artifacts found, which
are abundant and relatively luxurious, cover the entire
Roman period. The leveled remains of this great agricultural estate, which possessed every refinement of comfort (water, heating, decoration) are no longer visible.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
“Informations,”
Gallia 24 (1966) 471;
27 (1969) 399; J. P. Bacou, “La villa gallo-romaine de
Condoumine à Puissalicon,”
Revue Archéologique de
Narbonnaise 4 (1971) 93-147
MPI.
G. BARRUOL
