Silver drachma from Marseilles found at Entremont.
Silver drachma from Marseilles found at Entremont.
From the beginning its foundation in 600 BC, Marseilles (Massalia) formed economic ties with the surrounding indigenous populations, which lasted until the beginning of the 4th century BC. While these exchanges accelerated the social structuration of neighboring Celt and Ligurian populations, they had little impact on the evolution of local cultures.
Beginning at the end of the 3rd century BC, and all during the 2nd century, renewed contacts with Greco-Italian cultures would have perceptible influences on the architecture, economy, and even cultural and religious values of part of the Gallic population of the lower Rhone Valley.
Small purse from Entremont containing, among other things, silver obols and bronze money.
Certain indigenous elites adopted new lifestyles. They spoke Greek and Latin languages and wrote in Greek. At the end of the 2nd century BC, these transformations also reached other social classes living near the most dynamic economic centers.