The Gallo-Roman forum of Vieux-la-Romaine belongs to the archaeological site of the ancient Aregenua, situated approximately 11 km south of Caen.

The administrative reorganization of the Western Roman Empire in the early 5th century led to Lyon losing its status as the capital city, which was transferred to Bayeux.

The exact location of the forum was a subject of debate until recent research in the late 20th and early 21st centuries confirmed its position.

Excavations at Vieux resumed, and through modern research techniques and traditional archaeological digs spanning nine years, the eastern part of the complex was uncovered.

[F 2] In this densely populated area, the dwellings feature a "system of streets with facade galleries" and a network of roads dating back to the 2nd century, similar to the affluent house with a grand peristyle.

[D 4] Sollemninus laid the foundations of the baths,[D 4] and his son Titus Sennius Solemnis completed the construction in 234[D 3] before bequeathing revenues to the city.

[D 4] These baths featured all the amenities of the time, including alternating hot, warm, and cold rooms, gyms, hypocausts, and pools.

[H 1] Aregenua enjoyed certain privileges, such as exemption from the land tax owed to Rome (tributum soli) and granting Roman law, which facilitated its growth.

[H 2] During this period, the city acquired monuments for the performing arts and thermal baths; domus were also built, such as the house with the great peristyle dating from the time of the Severan dynasty.

By the mid-3rd century, several districts of the city were abandoned,[G 3][H 4] although some artisans, such as mosaicists, tablet makers, and glassmakers, continued to operate.

[K 2] Arcisse de Caumont arrived at the site on March 19, 1840, to create plans of the uncovered walls and discovered the three rows of steps of the Curia.

[K 3] However, Antoine Charma's excavations resulted in incorrect interpretations, as he mistakenly identified the decorations as frescoes of baths rather than those of a senate or basilica.

[K 4] In 1977, Christian Pilet continued Maurice Besnier's research and identified two distinct groups of baths, locating the forum in a different area on the site.

[K 6] In 2005, towed electrical prostecting surveys were conducted to pinpoint the forum location and generate three interpretation maps.

[K 7] The Council of Calvados acquired the parcel of Champ des Crêtes shortly before 2006,[F 3] turning it into an archaeological reserve.

[C 3] The first phase carried out in June and July 2007 through sondages, helped create the forum plan and pinpoint the location of the Curia.

During this period, some public buildings were replaced by a butcher's shop,[K 11] which primarily catered to the trade of cattle and pigs until the 4th century.

[D 5] Additionally, the forum is positioned on a south-facing slope,[D 5] combining political, religious, judicial, and commercial functions.

[1] The building located northeast of the Champ des Crêtes baths features marble floors and an apse room.

As early as 2005, it was suggested that these functions, including "organs of civic and religious life," indicate the presence of a forum.

[A 1] It is situated at the edge of a plateau overlooking the La Guigne valley, surrounded by various streets, two decumani (G and H), and a cardo (C).

[K 9] North of the central square, archaeology reveals the presence of shops and portico galleries that underwent modifications over the centuries.

[K 14] Archaeologists suggest that this temple could have been dedicated to deities such as Mercury, Sucellus, and Vulcan, or to imperial cults,[K 10] all of which were revered in the city.

[J 4] Archaeological findings have uncovered a significant number of 36,280 fragments dating from the second half of the 2nd century, primarily attributed to the Curia.

[A 5] These include marble from the Greek island of Skyros, Allier in Gaul, Chemtou in the former Roman province of Africa (currently, Tunisia), and Phrygia.

[K 15] It serves as a connection between these two public spaces, measuring 9 m by 5.90 m.[K 15] The room appears to have experienced significant ground subsidence, leading to severe deterioration of the floor.

[K 15] In the late 2nd or early 3rd century, the vestibulum was enhanced with a grand entrance made of local marble measuring 4.10 meters.

[K 17] This room, with its sole access from the Curia, is believed by archaeologists to have served as a tabularium, a space used for storing public records.

[K 17] Archaeologists believe that a statue of Titus Sennius Solemnis, a prominent political figure of the city, likely adorned the forum in the 3rd century due to the discovery of the marbre de Thorigny.