Lugdunum

Lugdunum was an important Roman city in Gaul, established on the current site of Lyon [1]. The Roman city was founded in 43 BC by Lucius Munatius Plancus, but continued an existing Gallic settlement with a likely population of several thousands [1]. It served as the capital of the Roman province of Gallia Lugdunensis and was an important city in the western half of the Roman Empire for centuries [1]. Two emperors, Claudius and Caracalla, were born in Lugdunum [1]. The original Roman city was situated west of the confluence of the Rhône and Saône, on the Fourvière heights [1]. Archeological evidence shows Lugdunum was a pre-Gallic settlement as far back as the Neolithic era, and a Gallic settlement with continuous occupation from the 4th century BC, during the La Tène period [1]. Lugdunum had at least two banks and became the principal manufacturing center for pottery, metal working, and weaving in Gaul [1]. Aurelian transferred minting from Trier to Lugdunum in 274 AD; it was the sole mint for the western empire [1].