The Oppidum d'Altimurium, also known as the Oppidum Murviel-les-Montpellier, is an ancient hill-town (or oppidum) near the village of Murviel-lès-Montpellier, France, located between Montpellier and Béziers. It has been listed since 1896 as a monument historique by the French Ministry of Culture. The site, which overlooks the Montpellier garrigue at 190m altitude and covers about 20 hectares, is one of the largest hill forts in the region. It was founded in the 2nd century BC and was protected by a 1st-century BC wall.
The Roman monumental area, located within the oppidum, contains a square 75m long, rooms built against the hill, 2 large porches arranged on each side of the square, and a large building that was probably a temple. This building, a rare example of Corinthian architecture in France, is the main draw for visitors today. Much of the site is now protected and is open to the public as a major historical site in the Montpellier region. Excavations were still in progress in 2009, and an archaeological museum with some artifacts from the site is located in Murviel-lès-Montpellier.
Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons
Written by Nicolo Ciampini
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