Argelès’ Ancient History

Where does the name ‘Argelès Sur Mer’ come from?

The name "Argelès" is rooted in the Catalan language and has been documented as far back as 879 under the name "Argila", meaning clay, which reflects the region's abundance of clay in this area, which is also why there is such a rich history of pottery and brick production. There’s also a legend that Hercules built Argelès 4000 years ago, but this seems like it was a legend invented by the locals!

What is the history of the name of the Albères Mountains?

The Albères Mountains are an important landmark for Argelès and there are two theories for the name: Some believe it is a reference to "Alver," which in Catalan means a wooded area of poplar trees. Others point to a reference in 975 AD of “Villanova ad radicem Montis Albario”, which means Villeneuve at the foot of Mount Albario.

Prehistoric Argelès Sur Mer

Rare stone tools used by hunter gathers, dating from 1 million years ago, have been unearthed close to Argelès Sur Mer.

However, it wasn’t until the Neolithic period, 10,000 years ago, that humans really started to settle in the Argelès area. Local white quartz, found at the base of the Albères Mountains, was ideal for shaping flint tools and allowed for the development of agriculture and animal domestication.

Later, during the Copper period, 4,000 years ago, there have been finds of a copper axe close to Argelès, demonstrating the advancements in metalworking and the shift from the Stone Age to the Metal Age in the region.

Dolmens in the Argelès area

Dolmens are ancient ceremonial standing stone monuments dating back around 4000BC and are found close to Argelès. In particular, three dolmens are found a kilometre above Chateaux de Valmy, and were used as collective burial sites, serving as important markers of early human settlement in Argelès. The best preserved of these three dolmens is called the cova de l'Ararb, or Cave of the Arab, which is made of hard granite and so has had less damage from grave robbers.

1000 BC – Argelès becomes a fortified settlement

It’s believed that the around around Argelès first became properly settled 3000 years ago in what was known as an Oppida – or “urn field”, which were typically fortified with earthen walls on elevated sites. It’s named after the burial practices where cremated remains were placed in urns and buried in the ground.

The most well known Oppida is El Camp de las Mamitas, discovered in 1949 near Argelès-sur-Mer where they found knives, folded bronze swords and bracelets alongside the urns.

600 BC - Greeks & Phoenicians arrive to Argelès

As early as the 6th century BC, the ancient Greeks arrived on these shores to settle and trade as highlighted by Homer in The Odyssey.

The Greeks hailed from Phocaea in modern-day Turkey and founded Marseille and then established a trading post at Empúries in Spain (now a ‘must visit’ archaeological site incorporating both ancient Greek and Roman ruins).

Indeed, Argelès is on the route of the famed "Via Heraclea" or the Heraclean Way, which is said to have been travelled by Hercules from Iberia to Greece and it remains today as the modern EuroVelo 8 cycling route from Cádiz to Athens retracing this ancient route.

The Greek Cult in the Vallée de la Massane

North of Argelès in the Vallée de la Massane, archaelogists have uncovered an ancient outdoor cult associated with a natural spring founded by the Greeks in 600 BC and used for 1000 years. Artifacts found at the site include miniature vases and coins given to the gods in religious rituals.

100 BC The Romans in Argelès

The Romans first arrived at Empuries in 195BC and, by 220 BC, they had founded Port Vendres, or Portus Veneris as they called it, built up fortifications in Collioure and colonised Argelès. In Argelès-sur-Mer numerous pottery fragments have been uncovered and recently more 200BC ruins have been found during tree clearing in Argelès.

Then, in 1816, workers excavating the ruins of Chateau de Pujols unearthed a ceramic vase containing hundreds of silver Romans coins from the era of Julius Caesar around 100 BC and most likely belonged to a soldier in one of Caesar’s armies marching through the area.

Did Hannibal pass through Argelès?

The famed Carthaginian general Hannibal crossed the Pyrenees with his army and elephants during his famous march to challenge Rome in 218 BC. Hannibal’s army was massive - consisting of up to 100,000 soldiers, 12,000 cavalry and 40 elephants.

The exact route of Hannibal is still hotly contested by historians, but it’s certain that he headed directly towards the sea once he was over the Pyrenees because he met with tribal leaders in Elne to negotiate free passage over the Alps into North Italy. Could conceivably have camped at Argelès or close by?

400 – 800 AD - Argelès becomes Visigoth and then Arab

Highlighting a period of strife and instability, Argeles became Visigoth in 400 AD, along with Collioure, under Visigothic King Wamba. The first reference by to Argeles was when King Wamba referred to it was the Castrum of Ultrera. By then, Argeles had become a fortified town and acted as a gatekeeper over the border lands between the two worlds of Spain and France.

The Visigoths were not to last and, in 700 AD, the Arabs, led by the Umayyad Caliphate, took control of Argeles whilst Port Vendre was used for the Arabic Saracen fleet.

600 AD - The huge archaeological site under Argelès’s Lycee

In 2012, when the Christian Bourquin Lycée was under construction, they found a huge ancient site from as far back as 6th Century AD. The archaeological site comprised of over 2000 silos for storing cereal and a number of tombs.

768 AD – Charlamagne rules Argelès

Charlemagne, King of the Franks, launched several military campaigns against the Umayyad Caliphate and, despite early setbacks, by the late 8th century, he had secured control of Argelès as part of the Spanish March. Thus, Argelès's French history truly begins in the 9th century, when feudalism took root and countships, such as that of Roussillon, began to emerge and fortresses were built, such as of Taxo d’Avall and Pujol castles near Argelès as Argelès became a highly strategic town on the main trade route through the Alberes Mountains.

897 AD – The Count of Roussillon buys Argels and Argelès is mentioned for the first time

The first written mention of Argelès is found as "Villa de Argilarius" in the the Grand Book of Fiefs of the Counts of Barcelona and refers to the sale of the town in 879 to the Count of Roussillon by Wilfred the Hairy, Count of Barcelona.

1172 AD – The King of Aragon inherits Argelès

In 1172, the last hereditary Count of Roussillon, Girard II, bequeathed his county to the Count of Barcelona and King of Aragon, Alfonso the Chaste, known as the Troubadour King for his poetry talents written in Occitan.