Orange, Vaucluse

Orange, located in the Vaucluse department of France, is a significant archaeological site with Roman origins. Founded in 35 BCE by veterans of the second legion, the city, known as Arausio, is notable for its impressive Roman theatre and triumphal arch. It was a well-endowed Roman city with a forum, monumental temple complex, and other civic structures. The site has a rich history involving a major battle in 105 BCE and sacking by the Visigoths in 412 CE. Orange later became a diocese and hosted important synods in the 5th and 6th centuries. It transitioned into the Principality of Orange in the 12th century, and its control shifted multiple times until it was ceded to France in 1713. The archaeological remains, including the theatre and the arch, offer valuable insights into Roman urban planning and architecture.