Elna

Elne (French: Elne, pronounced /ɛln/; Catalan Elna, pronounced /ˈɛl. more...

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nə/) is a town and commune of southern France, in the former province of Roussillon, of which it was the first capital, being later replaced by Perpignan. Its inhabitants are still called Illibériens in reference to the city's Celtiberian name, Illliberis, one that it shared with the Illiberis that became Elvira, Spain.

Geography

Elne is situated 4 km from the Mediterranean on the Tech River, in Pyrénées-Orientales, 12 km from Perpignan and 7 km from Argelès.

The canton of Elne covers seven communes: Elne (chief town), Villeneuve-de-la-Raho, Bages, Corneilla-del-Vercol, Montescot, Théza, Ortaffa.

History

Elne, from the heights of its fortified site, dominates the narrow plain of Rousillon between the Pyrenees and the Mediterranean. Numerous archeological researches have shown that the surrounding countryside has been occupied since Neolithic times. Elne was a Celtiberian oppidum or fortified town. Elne is the oldest town in Roussillon and since it is situated on the way towards the Iberian peninsula, successive civilisations have left their traces. The first mention of Illiberis occurs in the history of Livy (xxi.24)  : it was the Celtiberian city at which Hannibal pitched camp having crossed the Pyrenees in 218 BCE, where he negotiated with the assembled Gaulish chiefs his safe passage through their territories on the way to Italy. In the first century CE, however, it was no more than \"a modest vestige of a hitherto great city\" (Pliny).

In the fourth century Illiberis became \"Castrum Helenae\" after Helen, the mother of Constantine, whence its modern name was derived by degrees. Within its walls was assassinated Constans, the son of Constantine in 350 A.D. With the division of southern Gaul in 462, Elne became one of the \"seven cities\" of Septimania. Its Catholic bishopric was established in the 6th century. The first known sishop of Elne, Dominus, was mentioned in 571 in the Chronicle of John of Biclarum. Its bishop attended the Council of Toledo in 599. Numerous synods were held by the bishops of Elne: That of 1027 in Toulouges upheld the Peace and Truce of God, that no one should attack his enemy from Saturday at nine o'clock to Monday at one. Further synods were held in 1058, 1114, 1335, 1337, 1338, 1339, 1340, and 1380 (CE).

When the Arabs crossed the Pyrenees in 719 Elne was one of the first towns to be attacked, and when the counts of Roussillon achieved independence, Perpignan became the capital of the country, with Elne remaining the Episcopal city.

Read more at Wikipedia.org