Beautiful Carved Letters at the Ancient Theater of Fourvière
I wasn’t expecting to see Roman ruins here in the old city of Lyon. It was my understanding that Lyon was more of a medieval city and that was the reason behind its UNESCO World Heritage site listing. Of course, I was also basing this on what I have seen the previous night when I was out walking in the streets of the city. The presence of Roman ruins adds more dimensions to the city of Lyon. Instead of merely the middle ages, it stretches all the way up to the time of the Romans. It is amazing that the people have kept these structures intact over the course of many centuries.
This Might Have Been the Remains of an Old Column
The two theaters also give an insight into the lifestyle of the people here in Roman Gaul. Theater seems to be one of the entertainment options of the people. It is a bit strange to put the theater so high up the hill. Perhaps the elevation gives people a view of the surrounding countryside, thereby giving a better performance. Not all of the theater was preserved. There were bits and pieces which were left here. There were large blocks with writing on them. Of course, it was in Latin and I didn’t know how to read them. The blocks were so neatly carved that it didn’t seem like it was almost two thousand years old. Maybe they really don’t make these like they used to.
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