A team of researchers from the National Institute for Preventive Archaeological Research in France (Inrap) recently uncovered the ruins of a large ancient Roman city called Metlosedum during excavations in the town of Melun, located 40 kilometers southeast of Paris. According to the scientists, this city held significant strategic importance in the Roman province of Lugdunensis Gaul.
Metlosedum was situated at the crossroads of vital land and river trade routes, as reported by Arkeonews. To the west of the city, the team discovered a large rectangular residential estate covering over 700 square meters. Among the findings were fragments of a stone foundation bound with lime mortar, several rooms, and a central courtyard. A well-preserved cellar, 2.2 meters deep, featured a ventilation shaft and built-in niches accessible by stairs. Within this complex, archaeologists found a fragment of a Roman column that had been repurposed in the estate’s construction.
Forty meters east of this building, the researchers stumbled upon another complex of structures totaling around 600 square meters. Despite significant damage from modern utility work, archaeologists identified a room, a kitchen area with a combustion structure made of tegula (Roman tiles), and a ceramic water supply system.
Between the first and second rows of buildings, there was an open space with storage pits, small unlined cellars, and eight wells made from unworked limestone blocks. Due to the incomplete architectural evidence, it remains unclear whether the western and eastern buildings were two separate residences or parts of a single architectural ensemble, which likely spanned over 2,000 square meters. This is an exceptionally large size for Roman residential architecture in this region.
At the excavation site of the ancient Roman city, archaeologists also discovered zigzag trenches from World War II—shelters for civilians in case of air raids. Additionally, they found a French Adrian helmet from the 1926 model year. Thus, the archaeological work has revealed that the history of Melun is rich and layered.