Ancient History of Perpignan
Ruscino, the Real Ancient Perpignan – 600 BC
Long before anyone had heard of Perpignan, the main local settlement was Ruscino, a rocky hilltop village perched where the Château-Roussillon stands today. The Iberians settled it first, then came the Greeks and Phoenicians, trading along the coast. Ruscino was well-placed between the Pyrenees and the Mediterranean and it gave its name to the entire region: Roussillon.
The Greeks brought vines and olive oil. The Phoenicians brought trade and navigation. And Ruscino flourished as a crossroads, centuries before a single house had been built in what we now call Perpignan.
The Romans Build the Region & Name The Town – 100 BC
(Illiberis) and Ruscino remained a small Roman town with temples, villas and roads. But what’s interesting is that Perpignan wasn’t even on the map yet and was low-lying marshland crisscrossed by rivers and streams.
Still, the Roman legacy would later shape Perpignan’s layout. Roads like the Via Domitia passed nearby, and Roman-style agriculture spread through the plain. The name Perpignan may even come from a Roman landowner, Perpinius, who had an estate there called Villa Perpinià.
The Visigoths Arrive – 400 AD
As the Western Roman Empire collapsed, the Visigoths — Germanic tribes turned Christian kings — swept down into Gaul. Around 410 AD, they took over the area and made Toulouse their capital. Roussillon, including the Perpignan plain, came under their rule.
Unlike the Romans, the Visigoths preferred fortified hilltops. They strengthened Elne and Ruscino and probably left Perpignan’s marshy lowlands alone. But they left traces, such as churches, farms, and place names, and ruled here until the 700s when a new force arrived from the south.
The Arabs Cross the Pyrenees – 700 AD
In 711 AD, Arab-Muslim forces from North Africa crossed into Spain and, within a few years, into the lands we now call southern France. The Umayyad Caliphate took control of Septimania (today’s Languedoc and Roussillon), including Elne and Ruscino.
Perpignan, still not yet a proper town, may have been used by Arab fleets on the nearby coast as Collioure and Port-Vendres were prime targets. But, their hold didn’t last long and just a few decades later, the Franks pushed back.
Charlemagne’s Counts Reclaim the Land – 800 AD
The great Frankish king Charlemagne launched military campaigns to push the Arabs out and establish a defensive frontier called the Spanish March. His legendary commander, Count Guillem of Orange, drove out the last Arab troops and began rebuilding.
Now here's where Perpignan is born. The Franks needed to resettle the area and they chose a slight hill between the Bassa and Ganganell rivers, which was perfect for a small fortified village. The old towns of Ruscino and Elne were still important, but this new place offered something different: fresh land, water and space to grow.
The First Castle of Perpinyà – 900 AD
Somewhere around the 9th century, the Counts of Roussillon built a mud-and-stone castle on this hill. It wasn’t much at first, just a few ramparts and a small chapel (the original Saint John’s church, later rebuilt), but it marked the official beginning of Perpinyà.
Locals slowly returned from the hills. They built houses, workshops and little markets around the castle. A village turned into a town. And, in 927 AD, Perpignan was officially mentioned in writing for the first time.
By 1000 AD, A Town Was Growing
By the end of the 10th century, Perpignan was on the rise. Craftsmen lived in wooden houses near the riverbanks and fields and vineyards surrounded the town. A small marketplace appeared and people started calling it “la vila de Perpinyà.”
From a forgotten patch of swampy land, Perpignan was beginning its journey to become the most powerful city in Roussillon. The ancient hilltop of Ruscino may have been first, but the future belonged to the rising star of Perpinyà.