2,000 years ago, Epomanduodurum was at the heart of the first conurbation in the Pays de Montbéliard.

Originally, it was a Gallic economic and religious centre, established around a prestigious sanctuary (late 4^th or early 3^rd century BC). The town of Epomanduodurum covered an area of 180 hectares and extended across today’s communes of Mandeure and Mathay. Located within a loop of the Doubs, it occupied an economically advantageous position at the edge of the Alsace plain, between the Vosges and the Jura, and on the thoroughfare which linked the Rhine to the Rhône via the Doubs and the Saône.

The Gallo-Roman theatre, already listed in 1843 in the first inventory of Historical Monuments drawn up by Prosper Mérimée, is the only monument which can still be seen in the ancient town. It was listed as an Historical Monument in 1964. Its decorations were comparable to those of the greatest Roman theatrical buildings.

This theatre did not stand alone. It was part of a cultural area comprising two large temples, secondary places of worship and buildings necessary for the reception or accommodation of pilgrims, etc.

Numerous objects of offering and sacrifice, illustrating the importance of the sanctuary, have been found on the site. Preserved at the Museum of National Antiquities in Saint-Germain-en-Laye, they are a collection which is unique in Celtic Europe.  The château des ducs de Wurtemberg museum in Montbéliard also has several objects on show in its archaeology rooms.

One of the largest theatres

Excavation work in the summer of 2018 uncovered the foundations of a concetric wall on top of the theatre. This reinforces the importance of the site, which deserves to be highlighted in the same way as comparable archaeological sites in Burgundy already are, such as Autun and Bibracte. This theatre could have welcomed about 18,000 audience members.