Fontes Sequanae
About
Healing shrine at the actual source of the Seine, dedicated to Sequana, the river's own goddess, whom pilgrims believed could cure whatever ailed them. Gauls built a wooden shrine here by the 2nd century BCE; Rome then raised masonry temples and a pool over the springs around 50 CE. Excavators recovered over a thousand votive offerings, carved eyes, limbs, and organs, left by pilgrims seeking cures. The sanctuary was still drawing the sick to Burgundy's source-country in 117 CE.
What happened here
A sanctuary is a precinct, not a building — an enclosed area with a boundary that matters legally. Inside it, rules apply: certain acts are forbidden, debtors and runaways may claim protection, and in some the birth or death of anyone is not permitted. Pilgrims arrive on foot, sometimes over days, and there is accommodation, water, and a market selling exactly what they need to offer. Priesthoods are local and hereditary or annual and political depending on the place. Treasuries hold the accumulated gifts of centuries, catalogued on stone. Festivals draw crowds from a whole region and bring games, contests and trade with them. Between festivals the place is quiet, staffed by a caretaker and visited by a trickle of travellers.
Sources
Roman Maps shows the empire frozen at 11 August 117 CE, the day Trajan died — its moment of greatest territorial extent. Explore the full map →