SEGESSERA
(Bar-sur-Aube) Aube, France.
On the Roman road from Reims to Langres that runs
parallel to the Aube, Segessera replaced a prehistoric
settlement in the oppidum of Sainte-Germaine, S of Barsur-Aube. The center of the Gallo-Roman city lay 2 km
to the N, at Val de Thor. Remains have been found over
more than 1 km, as well as many objects: statuettes, coins
(especially 3d and 4th c. A.D.), and pottery. At Bar-sur-Aube itself some metal and glass objects have been uncovered, also local wares, and pottery of high quality imported in the second third of the 1st c. A.D. from La
Graufesenque and even from Italy—evidence that the
settlement was large and was romanized at an early stage.
A few km away, probably close to a mansio on the
Reims-Langres road, is the villa of Etifontaine. It includes
sophisticated bath installations, which were succeeded
perhaps by a Christian chapel until the whole building
was abandoned at the end of the 4th c.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
E. Frézouls,
Gallia 25 (1967) 274f; 27
(1969) 297f; 29 (1971) 283f; 31 (1973) 402-4; R.
Rubaud,
Bull. Soc. Arch. du Département de l'Aube 2
(1968) 46-86.
E. FRÉZOULS
