The Ligurians of Antibes: Discovering the Forgotten First Civilization

Long before the Greeks founded Antipolis, long before the Romans built their empire, another people called this coastal paradise home: the Ligurians (or Ligures). Their story is one that even most Antibois don’t know – yet traces of their presence are still visible if you know where to look.

Who Were the Ligurians?

The Ligurians were an indigenous people who inhabited the coastal regions from modern-day Italy to southern France during the Bronze and Iron Ages (roughly 2000-200 BC). They weren’t a single unified nation but rather a collection of tribes sharing similar culture and language.

In the Antibes region, the dominant Ligure tribe was likely the Déceates, who controlled the coastal territory between modern Nice and Cannes.

Before the Greeks Arrived

When Greek traders from Massalia (Marseille) arrived around 340 BC to found Antipolis, they didn’t settle an empty coast. The Ligurians had been living here for at least 1,500 years, farming the land, fishing the sea, and trading along the coast.

Evidence of Ligure Presence in Antibes

The Ligurians left few written records (they were largely pre-literate), but archaeological evidence proves their presence:

1. The Settlement Pattern

Ligure settlements typically occupied defensive hilltop positions with good views of the sea and surrounding territory. The elevated promontory where Antibes’ old town sits today was almost certainly a Ligure settlement site long before the Greeks arrived.

Look for this: The unusual layout of some streets in the old town – winding and irregular – may follow ancient Ligure pathways rather than the more orderly Greek or Roman grid planning.

2. Archaeological Finds

Excavations in Antibes have uncovered:

Pottery shards with distinctive Ligure geometric patterns
Stone tools predating Greek arrival
Bronze fibulae (clasps/pins) of Ligure design
Burial sites showing pre-Greek funeral customs

Many of these artifacts are in storage at local museums, rarely displayed because they’re less glamorous than Greek and Roman finds.

3. Place Names

Several local place names have possible Ligure origins:

The Garoupe peninsula (Cap d’Antibes) – the name “Garoupe” may derive from Ligure roots
Nearby Biot – possibly from a Ligure word for “settlement” or “height”
The Brague river – pre-Latin name suggesting Ligure origins

Secrets Hidden in Plain Sight

The Mysterious Stone Alignments

On the heights above modern Antibes (toward Biot), there are subtle alignments of stones that some archaeologists believe could be remnants of Ligure boundary markers or ritual sites. These are unmarked and unknown to tourists – and most locals.

The Old Town’s Foundation

Here’s something extraordinary that Simon can show you: in certain basement walls of old town buildings (visible only with permission from property owners), you can see the stratification where Ligure-era earth layers sit beneath Greek and Roman construction.

The archaeological principle is simple: the deeper you dig, the older the artifacts. These basement walls are like time machines, with each layer telling a story.

The Ritual Cave

Local historians have documented what may have been a Ligure ritual cave in the cliffs near Fort Carré. Though now inaccessible for safety reasons, 19th-century records describe finding primitive carvings and ritual objects suggesting pre-Greek religious practices.

Ligure Daily Life

What was life like for the Ligurians of ancient Antibes?

Settlement and Housing

Oppida: Fortified hilltop settlements with dry-stone walls
Huts: Circular or oval structures with stone foundations and wooden/thatch roofs
Terraces: Agricultural terraces on hillsides (some still visible in the backcountry)

Economy

Agriculture: Wheat, barley, legumes on fertile coastal plains
Herding: Goats and sheep on the hillsides
Fishing: Coastal fishing with nets and traps
Trade: Exchange of local products for metal tools and luxury items

Religion

The Ligurians worshipped nature deities associated with sacred springs, mountain peaks, and caves. Some scholars believe their religious practices influenced later Celtic and Roman cults in the region.

The Greek Arrival: Cooperation or Conflict?

When Greeks from Massalia founded Antipolis around 340 BC, what happened to the Ligurians?

The evidence suggests a complex relationship:

Initial Coexistence

Unlike some colonial situations, the Greek settlement seems to have coexisted with the local Ligure population. Archaeological evidence shows continued Ligure pottery production alongside Greek imports, suggesting trade rather than total displacement.

Cultural Blending

Over time, a “Gallo-Ligurian” hybrid culture emerged, blending indigenous Ligure traditions with Greek influences. This cultural mixing is visible in:

Pottery styles combining Greek shapes with Ligure decorative motifs
Religious practices mixing Greek gods with local nature worship
Place names combining Greek and Ligure elements

Gradual Hellenization

By the time the Romans arrived (2nd century BC), the Ligure identity had largely blended into the broader Greco-Ligurian culture of coastal Provence. The original Ligure language was gradually replaced by Greek, then Latin.

The Roman Conquest

The Romans formally conquered the Ligurian territories in the 2nd century BC. Unlike the Greeks who established trading posts, the Romans brought military occupation and systematic colonization.

Many Ligurians were:

Enslaved and sent to Rome
Forcibly relocated to other parts of the empire
Assimilated into Roman culture, adopting Latin names and customs

By the time of Emperor Augustus (1st century AD), the distinct Ligure identity had largely vanished, absorbed into the Roman provincial population.

Why Don’t We Know More?

The Ligurians remain mysterious for several reasons:

No written language: They left no texts describing their culture
Perishable materials: Their buildings used wood and thatch, which decompose
Overshadowed: Greek and Roman ruins are more impressive, attracting more attention
Limited excavation: The modern city of Antibes sits atop ancient sites, making excavation difficult

Experiencing Ligure Antibes Today

On Simon’s walking tour, you’ll discover:

The hilltop location where the Ligure settlement likely stood
Street patterns that may follow ancient Ligure paths
The strategic logic of the site from a pre-Greek perspective
Connections between Ligure culture and later developments
Why this location attracted 2,500+ years of continuous settlement

Simon’s specialty: Revealing the layers of history most people miss. While others see “Roman ruins,” Simon shows you the Ligure foundations beneath.

Book Your Historical Deep Dive

Want to explore the Antibes that existed before the Greeks, before the Romans, before recorded history? Book a tour with Simon and discover the Ligurians – the forgotten first people of the French Riviera.

You’ll never look at Antibes the same way again.

Ligurians in Antibes: The Forgotten First People