ABSTRACT
The previous two chapters have discussed the urban periphery as a phenomenon of the Roman empire in general. It is now time to turn to the specific province of Gaul for a more detailed exploration of periurban development in practice. The next three chapters will examine and analyse the evidence for periurban land-use in Gaul, mainly through the medium of archaeological evidence. The special characteristics of periurban development will be identified through comparison with the urban centre and the countryside, and the factors giving rise to them explored. Regional patterns of similarity or difference across Gaul will also be sought, and their implications considered. Finally, the conclusions drawn from these chapters will be discussed in chapter 7 in relation to three wider issues: the nature of the Roman city, its relationship with the country and the relationship between the provincial and metropolitan elites.
