In the western Alps, the present-day city of Châteauneuf in Savoy includes remains of an ancient district, dedicated to a cult of spiritual practices, with baths, a theater and a temple. Built in the 1st century AD under the auspices of a Roman emperor, it contains sacred rooms, including cellae reserved for its priests, and a covered gallery, wherein the faithful could gather. In its center, an inscription on a plaque indicates that this sanctuary was in honor of the Gallic god Limetus, a parallel to the Roman god Mercury, protector of travelers and good health. Wishes, offerings and thanks were addressed to Limetus, including 70 surviving graffiti. Some of them mention Maia, a female consort of Mercury. Some are veritable historical accounts, of otherwise unknown events in which congregants appealed to Limetus.
Length: 3 min
Country: France
Language: French w/ English subtitles
Director: Larribère Christophe
Producer(s): Mathieu Lesueur