The Phoenicians originally founded Marseille, which was called Massilia in Roman times.

258 BCE

The first military engagement we know of in Massilia occurred in 258 BCE when a Roman force under Vibius Julius captured the town and then had to defend it against a Gallic army led by Togodumnus of Lacus Memannus. The Romans, along with a detachment of Gallic mercenary cavalry, attacked the Gaul’s in the fields outside of the town and managed a decisive victory.

49 BCE

In 49 BCE, the Roman Republic was rift by the Grerat Roman Civil War.  On one side was Julius Caesar, his loyal legions and his supporters (the Populares) and on the other the Optimates – a traditionalist faction of the Roman Senate supported by Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus, better known simply as Pompey, and his legions.

The Siege and naval Battle of Massilia were events in this conflict. Caesar was moving his legions into Hispania (Spain) when he discovered the city of Massilia had sided with the Optimates against him, encouraged by Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus, the Opitimate procounsel of Gaul. Caesar did not like this, so he dispatched the newly raised 17th, 18th, and 19th legions to lay siege to Massilia under the command of Gaius Trebonius, one of his senior legates. As Massilia was a port, Caesar also dispatched a naval fleet under command of Decimus Brutus (the same Brutus that would later betray and help murder Caesar). Caesar took the rest of his troops to Hispania to attack a Pompeian force at the Battle of Ilerda.

In late June, Caesar's navy engaged the Massilian fleet and won. The Caesarians also won a second naval engagement in September.

On land, Trebonius conducted the siege using a variety of siege machines and tactics, including siege towers, a siege-ramp, and a covered battering ram.  Romans were expert engineers, and at Massilia this expertise shone. Trebonius ordered that a nine square meter, six story stationary tower at the base of one of the city walls be built. This was done despite a rain of missiles from the city’s archers and artillery. As each story of the tower was completed, it was covered with a fireproof roof with protruding eaves and side panels. By means of screws, the whole canopy, roof, and screens were raised to the height of one story and the workers built the next story below. This process was repeated again and again until the tower reached the full height of the city wall.

The Massiliots mounted a determined defence and succeeded in destroying some of the Caesarian siege machines, but eventually the defenders became exhausted and the city inhabitants desperate. When Caesar and his legions returned from victory in Hispania, the Massilians decided it was time to give up. Caesar was generous in accepting their surrender, and Massilia was allowed to remain nominally autonomous, although most of its surrounding territory was confiscated.

413

In 413, Massilia was again under siege, this time by the Visigoth king Ataulf. In the 400s, the Visigoths were a significant force based in Hispania (Spain) but with forces active in present day southern France and northern Italy. At the same time, the Roman world was split between rival claimants to imperial power.

Prior to laying siege to Massilia, Atlaulf’s army had already captured Toulouse and Narbonne, giving them a solid hold on southern Gaul.  Looking to secure the eastern edge of Visigoth territory, Ataulf besieged Massilia.  The city was, however, well defended under the leadership of the Roman general Bonifaciuas. The legend is that Atlaulf was wounded during the siege by a spear thrown by Bonifaciuas. Whether the story is true or not, the Visigoth siege failed to force Massilia’s submission. Hostilities between the Visigoths and Rome abated, and peace made with Atlaulf’s marriage to Galla Placidia, the sister of Emperor Honorius.  

1423

The defenders of Marseille had less success in 1423 when the city was sacked by the troops of King Alfonso V of Aragon.

In 1423 Aragon was not getting along well with France under of Louis III. Both regents were seeking to establish hegemony over Naples, Italy. Alfonso already controlled Sicily. Through intrigue and agreements made and broken both Alfonso and Louis made claims to Naples and fought for its ownership. By October 1423, the forces aligned against Alfonso at Naples were overwhelming, and so he decided to return to Aragon with his army.

Alfonso was pretty upset with Louis, and he knew that Louis had taken much of the Marseille garrison with him to Naples, so on his way home, Alfonso decided to inflict some payback and attack the city. The small Marseille garrison of 360 men learned of Alfonso’s approaching fleet of thirty vessels and expected the attack. They did what they could, but so few men were inadequate to defend the city.

The medieval town of Marseille was centred on the north shore of the Vieux Port. Ramparts protected this area, and a chain strung across the mouth of the harbor blocked ship access. On November 20, Alfonso landed troops and despite valiant defensive efforts, Alfonso’s men managed to dislodge the chain blocking the harbor and his galleys entered the port. Inside of the Vieux Port, the north shore was not protected by ramparts, and Alfonso’s men were able to  infiltrate the city fairly easily.

The city was looted and many buildings torched over the next three days. The Aragonese also captured and looted the Abbey of St. Victor.  Alphonse recalled his men on November 23, and his galleys left but returned for further looting at the end of November, including the removal of the relics of Saint Louis d'Anjou. Some of these relics were ultimately returned to Marseille five hundred years later in 1954. The port chain removed by Alfonso’s men was kept as a souvenir and is still on display on the walls of Valencia Cathedral.

1524

One hundred years later, Marseille was again attacked, during the Italian War (1521-1526). The war was a fight between France, under Francis I, and the Republic of Venice against a coalition of the Holy Roman Empire, England and the Papal States. While it’s called the Italian War, this conflict was fought throughout Western Europe, including in Lombardy, Navarre, the Low Countries and Provence.

In August to September 1524, an imperial army under the Aragonese general Fernando de Alvos invaded Provence and attacked Marseille.  Avalos’s men heavily looted the surrounding countryside, but he was unsuccessful in seizing the city. Faced with the arrival of French reinforcements, the siege was called off in September.

1793

The French Revolution began in 1789 with the establishment of a constitutional monarchy followed by the abolition and execution of King Louis XVI in January 1793. Not everyone in France supported what was happening in Paris, and in the summer of 1793 Federalist revolts broke out throughout France. These uprisings were against the increasing centralization of power in Paris and the radicalization of politics. These revolts were viciously suppressed. One of the centREs of revolt was Marseille where a Federalist army was raised. The National Convention in Paris sent troops to Marseille in August, who crushed the anti-government rebels.

"La Marseillaise" is the national anthem of France and was written in 1792 by Claude Joseph de Lisle after the declaration of war by France against Austria. It was originally titled "Chant de guerre pour l'Armée du Rhin" ("War Song for the Army of the Rhine"). The French National Convention adopted it as the Republic’s 's anthem in 1795. The song acquired the nickname "La Marseillaise" after being sung in Paris by volunteers from Marseille marching to the capital.

1940- 1944

In May 1940, Germany invaded France and the Low Countries and in June 1940, Italy declared War on France. Both Germany and Italy bombed Marseille before the French surrender on June 24, 1940. While originally part of Vichy France, in 1942 in response to the Allied landings in Italy, the city was occupied by the Germans.  In January 1943, the Vieux Port area was evacuated and much of the historic old town was demolished by the Germans.

Resistance

During the occupation, Marseille was the base of operations for two resistance movements. The first of these was the non-communist resistance under the umbrella of the Mouvements Unis de la Résistance (the MUR) with about eight hundred men. The other group was the French Communist Party Francs-Tireurs et Partisans (the FTP) with about two thousand men. The Allies opposed arming the FTP so, despite having fewer members, the MUR was better supported and supplied. In February 1944, an attempt was made to merge the two resistance groups into the French Forces of the Interior (FFI) but the two never really coalesced. The FFI harassed German troops by sabotaging bridges and communication lines, seizing important traffic hubs and directly attacking isolated German forces. Eventually the FFI was folded into the regular French army.

Film footage of the Resistance of the FFI can be seen here: FFI Film

The Battle of Marseille 

By August 1944, the Allies invasion of Normandy was secure, and it was considered the right time to strike at southern France. Operation Dragoon, the invasion of southern France by the US Seventh Army and the Free French was launched on 15 August 1944. 

While Normandy was in Allied hands, the Allies had not yet secured adequate port facilities. The Normandy ports were either too small, still in German hands or otherwise inadequate. Capture of the major southern ports of Toulon and Marseille would provide deep-water harbours and access to rail and road lines up the Rhone Valley and into Germany. To advance this goal, on 15 August Operation Dragoon proceeded with the landing of the US Seventh Army and French Army Group B on the beaches of the Cote d’Azur between Le Lavandou and Nice. Weak German defences were swept aside with the assistance of the French Resistance and the Germans were forced to withdraw first to a line near Dijon and then to the Vosges Mountains.  

While the Americans pursued the retreating Germans, General Jean de Lattre de Tassigny, commander of the Free French forces was ordered to capture the cities of Toulon and Marseilles. He devised a plan to attack both centres simultaneously. General Edgard de Larminat was given command of the forces tasked with taking Toulon (see Battle of Toulon).

German defensive forces in and around Marseille consisted of infantry units guarding coastal areas with the 11th Panzer Division in reserve. Marseille was principally defended by the244th Infantry Division, which included three Grenadier regiments (the 932nd, 933rd and 934th) and an artillery regiment. The German divisions were inferior, made up of wounded and old veterans and Volksdeutsche (ethnic Germans) from Poland and Czechoslovakia. Many units were Ostlegionen and Ostbataillone volunteers from Eastern Europe, mainly the Soviet Union. None of these units had high morale or cohesive command.  Their equipment was poor, consisting of old weapons from various nations, with French, Polish, Soviet, Italian and Czech guns, artillery and mortars. Four of the German divisions were designated as "static": they were stripped of all their mobile capabilities and unable to move from their positions. Assisting the Germans were French Army artillery batteries that faced seaward, but which did not play a significant role in the upcoming fight. The Germans had laid minefields and prepared trenches, weapons pits and tank obstacles on the landward approaches to the city. On 20 August, the Germans scuttled twentyfive of the ships that were in the harbour.

The attack on Marseille began on 12 August with heavy bombers and fighter bombers attacking gun positions around Marseilles. Marseille had few anti-aircraft defences, so these attacks were quite successful.  On 21 August access roads to Marseille were cut, effectively trapping the German garrison. In an effort to block the port, the Germans blew up the Marseille Transporter Bridge, which connected the quays of the port and the quays of Rive Neuve.

On 24 August, the 3rd Algerian Infantry Division occupied the centre of Marseilles while the Resistance took over the city’s prefecture. Surrender demands were made to the Germans but were rejected. Over the next few days, pockets of German resistance around the old Fort of St. Nicolas were mopped up, and the Germans finally surrendered on 29 August.

In taking the city, the French suffered over 1800 casualties. German casualties are unclear, but eleven thousand were taken prisoner. The Vieux Port was left in ruins, the Germans having destroyed almost all port facilities. Despite this, by mid-September the port was able to begin receiving and distributing supplies. A fuel pipeline was also laid, and by Spring 1945 enough fuel flowed through this to satisfy the requirements of both the American Seventh Army and the French First Army.  By the end of 1944, about one-third of all Allied supplies were entering Europe through Marseille and Toulon.

 Marseille Today

Marseille is a big city with a lot to see. Here is the link to Marseille tourism, where there is good information about museum passes, hop on/off bus tours (which we recommend), and local activities. There is also a handy downloadable walking tour map: marseille-tourisme . And here is a video of the top 40 sites in and around Marseille: top40

While it is easy to get information about visiting Marseille, here are our top picks:

Fort Saint-Jean

Fort Saint-Jean replaced earlier forts and was built in the 1600s to guard the entrance of the Vieux Port of Marseille (Fort Saint-Nicolas was constructed to guard the opposite side of the harbour entrance). In the nineteenth century the fort was used as a barracks and clearing station for the Army of Africa. While the French Foreign Legion was active in North Africa (1830-1962), the fort was the last posting in France for new recruits before shipping out to basic training in Algeria.  During WWII the fort was occupied by the Germans, and in August 1944 the explosion of a munitions depot within the fort destroyed many of its historic battlements and buildings. The damaged portions of the fort were not reconstructed until 1967 and 1971. In 2013, the Fort became part of the Museum of European and Mediterranean Civilizations (MuCEM). There are two bridges that accompany the fort; one leads to the historical district while the other ends at MuCEM.  The fort has beautiful views of the port and the Marseille bay. Rank 10

MuCEM Map  is made up of three sites: Fort Saint-Jean, the J4 building (a really cool concrete cube clad in a lacy screen made out of concrete), and a cultural centre.  MuCEM is interested in the ancient and contemporary aspects of European and Mediterranean civilizations displayed in permanent and temporary exhibitions. mucem Rank 9

Just to the north of MuCEM is the ornate Cathédrale de la Major. Map  Built in the mid- to late nineteenth century, this cathedral has a Byzantine design to reflect the time when the Marseille port was "the gateway to the east." La-Major-cathedrale Rank 7

Both Cathédrale de la Major and MuCEM are near Le Painier Map - the oldest quarter in Marseille, that was settled by the Phoenicians around 600 BC.  It’s a great area for a stroll where you will experience cafes and shops and interesting street art. On the west edge of this area is Port Antique (Jardin des Vestiges)  Map , which is a small public park with archeological remains of a Roman road and the walls of the ancient port. This is a good spot to take a break and maybe eat some snacks purchased while strolling through Le Panier. The garden is conveniently part of the Marseille History Museum Map   Also on the edge of Le Panier is the Musée des Docks Romains. Map  Between the sixth century BCE and the fourth century CE, this historical port warehouse was a site of bustling Roman activity. musee-des-docks-romains Rank 7

On the other side of the Vieux Port is Fort Saint-Nicolas Map  which was built to protect the south side of the Port entrance. fort-saint-nicolas  Only part of the complex is open to the public. The highlight is to walk up the ramparts to admire the superb view of the port and the city of Marseille. Rank 7

Not far from Fort Saint-Nicolas is the Palais du Pharo. Map A massive building located at the mouth of  Le Vieux Port, it was built as a palace for Napoleon III and is now used as a conference centre and home to the Philharmonic Orchestra of Marseille. It is worthwhile to stroll the grounds both on the seaward side of the Palais and Emile Duclaux Park behind. palaisdupharo Rank 6

On the other side of Fort Saint-Nicolas is Abbaye Saint-Victor. Map The Abbaye was founded in the 11th century and named for the Roman soldier and Christian martyr Victor of Marseille. Much of the abbey was destroyed in 1794, but the austere church and crypts remain.  You can download a free audio tour here Download   For more information, visit the Abbaye Saint Victor's website saintvictor Rank 7

If you are not tired of churches, we also suggest visiting the Basilique Notre-Dame de la Garde Map . Built from 1853 to 1864, this church is the most popular landmark of Marseille and acts as a beacon for the city. The basilica was built in the traditional neo-Byzantine style, and replaced a previous twefth century church. Around 1.5 million tourists visit the cathedral each year, not including the local visitors who attend daily service. It is full of stunning marbles, murals and mosaics.  The Basilique is visible from the harbour, as is the large, gilded statue of the Virgin Mary that sits atop the bell tower. Some may find the walk up to the Basilique  difficult, but the views are worth it. notredamedelagarde Rank 7

There is a hop on/off bus that will take you to most of the main tourist spots in Marseille, and we recommend you use it.

Outside of Marseille

Château d’lf is located offshore in the Bay of Marseille. Map  King Francis I ordered its construction and the three-story building was finished in 1531. Although the fortress was built for security, the castle’s military never had to protect against an attack, so years later, Château d’If was converted to a prison which housed over 3,500 inmates. Some cells were equipped with windows, wardrobes, and even fireplaces, and reserved for wealthy and notable prisoners. The fortress is also famously known as the setting of Alexandre Dumas' famous book, The Count of Monte Cristo. The château is open to tours, which provide an enlightening experience for visitors, as well as breathtaking 360-degree views of the bay. Once on the island, you can wander at leisure and take in the stellar views of the bay and Marseille in the distance. To reach Château d'If, many travelers hop aboard a Frioul If Express shuttle boat from Marseille's Vieux Port. chateau-if  Rank 9

About fourteen kilometres from Marseille is Parc National des Calanques Map where you can find jagged limestone cliffs that drop to pebble beaches lapped by the blue water of the Mediterranean Sea. Locals go here to sunbathe on the secluded beaches, rock climb and rappel, and hike or take boat tours. Pay a few euros for parking and plan to spend a half day. Other than a snack bar, there are few facilities so bring a picnic meal. calanques-parcnational

Shopping

For antiques and “stuff” try Mega Vide Greniers. Map (Sundays) vide-greniers

To find spices, herbs and African foods, try Marché Capucins. Map Website: marche-des-capucins

Whether you are in the market for fish or not, visit the Marché au Poisson (fish market) (every day 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.). Map

For clothing, accessories, etc. go to Les Docks Village. Map Website: lesdocks

Restaurants

There are plenty of great restaurants in Marseille, and naturally seafood is the specialty. There is one place you really need to go to for both the food and the experience: Toinou Map

To give you an idea of how fresh the seafood is, there are vendors just outside the restaurant where the restaurant buys the seafood. Inside is a very unique type of restaurant. Here’s how it works: You line up, cafeteria-style, to pick up a tray and your beverage (wine and beer available), entrée of salad or cold seafood, sauces, and dessert. Nearer to the cashier, you will see a menu listing the types of seafood dishes available. There are special platters of oysters or crustaceans and all sorts of other seafood. Oysters are a specialty, and they have varieties from all over. And here is perhaps the best part: the costs is very reasonable! Once you have paid, go find a table (or designate someone in your party to do this first) and wait for them to bring you your feast. They do not take reservations, so if the line is too long for you, go for a stroll and come back or try an off-peak time. toinou