Vaisson La Romaine 2002
Our last day in Provence. From Avignon, we head toward a small town on the Ouveze River which dates from the Bronze Age but came into its own in Roman Times. What draws us there are the ruins of a 12th century castle, an ancient Roman city, and of course, Provencal food and wine. As we arrive in late morning, the sun is midway up the sky and the air is crisp. We hike to the castle, which like Seguret, is 400 - 500 vertical meters above the river, ... and is closed. Still a nice climb through the old city, with its narrow streets, stone houses and fountains. We had a nice lunch in an outdoor cafe and gave the Roman Ruins a quick look. What is clear to me is that France owes much of its history, culture, and probably current world view to the Romans.
For me, Roman Ruins all look a lot alike and pretty much run together. The ones I remember best are the ones that were meaningful in another context. The Roman Aqueduct in Segovia Spain, the ancient Roman city of Volubilis near Moulay Idress, Morocco and of course the Coliseum in Rome, oddly enough. It should be humbling to a world power of the 21st century to recall that a world power 2 millennia ago could leave such a faint trace on the planet.
And it gives me pause to think how current world powers will trace their presence on the planet's future. Will the future owe much of its history, culture and world view to 21st century nations? What is the half-life of world influence? Setting aside its duty to the present, what should be a nation's duty to the future? Did the Romans have a sense of duty to future history? Or did they take the future for granted? Were they just as consumed with the present as we seem to be? Were they farsighted? Or were they just lucky to exist 2 millennia before modern archeology? Are they relevant today because they were intrinsically relevant? Or does their relevance depend on coincidence with the birth of Christianity? Questions are easy, but as is often the case, answers are more difficult.
But I digress. Whatever the answers, this is a nice place to visit.
Read MoreFor me, Roman Ruins all look a lot alike and pretty much run together. The ones I remember best are the ones that were meaningful in another context. The Roman Aqueduct in Segovia Spain, the ancient Roman city of Volubilis near Moulay Idress, Morocco and of course the Coliseum in Rome, oddly enough. It should be humbling to a world power of the 21st century to recall that a world power 2 millennia ago could leave such a faint trace on the planet.
And it gives me pause to think how current world powers will trace their presence on the planet's future. Will the future owe much of its history, culture and world view to 21st century nations? What is the half-life of world influence? Setting aside its duty to the present, what should be a nation's duty to the future? Did the Romans have a sense of duty to future history? Or did they take the future for granted? Were they just as consumed with the present as we seem to be? Were they farsighted? Or were they just lucky to exist 2 millennia before modern archeology? Are they relevant today because they were intrinsically relevant? Or does their relevance depend on coincidence with the birth of Christianity? Questions are easy, but as is often the case, answers are more difficult.
But I digress. Whatever the answers, this is a nice place to visit.
