Archaeological Site of Alba-la-Romaine

Gallo-Roman city of Alba Augusta Helviorum in the Ardeche, capital of the Celtic Helvii people who allied with Rome after 121 BC. The site covers nearly 30 hectares and preserves an administrative centre, theatre, temples, and artisan quarters. A statue of a deified emperor found in 1992 was connected to the city centre by a monumental processional route. The city prospered through the 1st-3rd centuries AD as a hub for viticulture and regional trade before being abandoned in the 4th century in favour of Viviers.