Les différents ports du delta du Rhône au Haut Empire
Résumé
Research conducted by the DRASSM off Les Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer have revealed an exceptional concentration of shipwrecks located in front of an ancient branch of the Rhone known by the medieval term of Rhone Saint-Ferréol. The discovery of a mooring area associated with harbour structures off this mouth supported the idea that the “complex” of Les Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer was the only true outport of Arles. The presence of at least thirty wrecks loaded with raw materials promoted the theory that Rhone Saint-Ferréol was dedicated to raw materials and that ships loaded with amphora, located far from the coastline, must have navigated further out to avoid the Camargue. This has led to the notion that the other arms of the Rhone, whether that of Daladel and/or Ulmet were not only navigable but also reserved for amphorae.
This paper will present an initial synthesis that attempts to define the different potential harbours that might have serviced a specialised traffic in merchandise. The integration of the ensemble of criteria will lead to the proposition of an economic model on the scale of the Rhone delta, according to which Arles, Les Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer, Fos, Saint-Gervais Bay and the other mouths of the Rhone were not simply “outports” but true ports.