Narbo

Narbo, also known as Narbo Martius, was an ancient Roman city located on the Mediterranean coast in the region later known as Gallia Narbonensis, at the site of present-day Narbonne in southern France. It is usually dated to the 2nd century BCE as a Roman settlement established to secure Roman influence on the coast and to facilitate trade between Gaul and Hispania. In Latin sources the city is simply called Narbo; in later periods the town became Narbonne.

As the capital of Gallia Narbonensis, Narbo Martius grew into a major administrative and commercial center. The city linked Italy with Hispania and the interior of Gaul through a network of roads and a busy port that handled Mediterranean trade. Urban development followed the Roman pattern, with streets laid out in a grid, public buildings, a forum, baths, and other civic and religious monuments that reflected its status as a provincial capital.

During late antiquity, Narbo declined as the Western Roman Empire weakened. The site remained inhabited, and by the medieval era the town had grown into the city of Narbonne, continuing a continuous occupation at the same location. Inscriptions and archaeological remains attest to its Roman administration and cultural influence in Gaul.

Today, the legacy of Narbo is preserved in the archaeology of Narbonne and in historical records that illuminate its role in Roman Gaul. The ancient city exemplifies the Roman urban model in southern Gaul and its integration into the broader Mediterranean economy.