Lyon: the story on HearLore

Lyon

In 43 BC, the Roman Senate ordered the creation of a settlement for refugees expelled from Vienne. These displaced people encamped at the confluence of the Saône and Rhône rivers. The Romans built this new town on Fourvière hill under the name Colonia Copia Felix Munatia. This name invoked prosperity and the blessing of gods upon the new colony. Historian Dio Cassius recorded that the city became known as Lugdunum. It quickly grew to become the capital of Gallia Lugdunensis. Two Emperors were born within these walls: Claudius and Caracalla. Claudius delivered a speech preserved in the Lyon Tablet regarding Gallic Senators. Early Christians faced martyrdom under emperors like Marcus Aurelius and Septimius Severus. Local saints such as Blandina, Pothinus, and Epipodius died for their faith during this era. Greek bishop Irenaeus served as the second bishop of Lyon in the latter part of the second century. Today, the Archbishop of Lyon still bears the title Primate of the Gauls.

Renaissance Silk And Economic Rise

Italian merchants introduced fairs in the late 15th century that transformed Lyon into France's economic counting house. The silk trade drove development throughout the Renaissance period. Italian influence remains visible in historic buildings across the city. During the late 1400s and 1500s, Lyon became a key center for literary activity and book publishing. Writers like Maurice Scève, Antoine Héroet, and Louise Labé produced works here. Exiled Italians including Luigi Alamanni and Gian Giorgio Trissino also contributed to the cultural scene. The silk industry established workshops on the slopes of La Croix-Rousse hill. These workers were known as canuts. They created narrow passageways called traboules to move goods from workshops to merchants below. The first examples of these passages date back to the 4th century. By the 19th century, the city had become an important industrial town driven by textile production.

When was the city of Lyon founded by the Roman Senate?

The Roman Senate ordered the creation of a settlement for refugees expelled from Vienne in 43 BC. These displaced people encamped at the confluence of the Saône and Rhône rivers to establish what became known as Lugdunum.

Who were the two Emperors born within the walls of Lyon?

Two Emperors were born within these walls: Claudius and Caracalla. Claudius delivered a speech preserved in the Lyon Tablet regarding Gallic Senators during his time associated with the city.

What happened to the citizenry of Lyon in 1793 during the French Revolution?

In 1793, the citizenry rose up against the National Convention during the French Revolution before Revolutionary armies besieged the city for over two months. The Convention ordered the name changed to Commune-Affranchie or Emancipated Commune on the 12th of October 1793 after more than 2,000 people were executed following the surrender.

On which date did the 1st Free French Division liberate the city of Lyon?

On the 3rd of September 1944, the 1st Free French Division liberated the city alongside Forces Françaises de l'Intérieur. Today the city hosts a museum dedicated to the Resistance and Deportation that is strongly linked to Klaus Barbie's activities.

When was the historic site of Lyon designated as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO?

In 1998, UNESCO designated the historic site of Lyon as a World Heritage Site citing exceptional testimony to over two millennia of urban settlement continuity. Specific regions include the Roman district, Fourvière hill, Renaissance district Vieux Lyon, silk district slopes of Croix-Rousse, and Presqu'île.

Lyon

Renaissance Silk And Economic Rise

Continue Browsing

Common questions

When was the city of Lyon founded by the Roman Senate?

Who were the two Emperors born within the walls of Lyon?

What happened to the citizenry of Lyon in 1793 during the French Revolution?

On which date did the 1st Free French Division liberate the city of Lyon?

When was the historic site of Lyon designated as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO?

Revolutionary Turmoil And Industrial Strife

World War Resistance And Liberation

Cinematic Birthplace And Cultural Heritage

Modern Gastronomy And Global Economy