Mirebeau-sur-Bèze

Mirebeau-sur-Bèze is a commune in the Côte-d'Or department in eastern France.

Mirebeau is the site of a monumental Roman Legionary Fortress, or castrum for about 5000 legionaries. Extensive aerial reconnaissance and excavations since 1964 have shown the extent of the site and its presence of the Roman Legion Legio VIII Augusta. The large camp had ramparts, gates, principia (headquarters), store-houses, baths and an amphitheatre, and after the latest archaeology, a wharf on the River Bèze.

Tile stamps of the VIIIth Legion show that the camp was built in 70 AD, when the legion arrived with Vespasian in Gaul to oppose the revolts of the Treveri and especially the Ubii and Lingons against Rome. The legion left in 86 AD, at latest, to its next base at Argentoratum (Strasbourg).

A civil canabae built-up outside the fortress and continued after the army left at the crossroads of ancient roads on the site of the present village, becoming a substantial settlement. A theatre was restored by a Roman citizen’s daughter when it was falling into ruin. Upstream an important celtic and later Gallo-Roman sanctuary had developed.