Statue of General Agricola - Fréjus Tourist Office

Under the bright sky of the historic heart of Fréjus, Julius Agricola seems to observe passers-by. The statue of the general, wearing the Roman cuirass, displays bulging muscles and a determined look. It perfectly embodies strength and heroism. Born in Fréjus on June 13, 40, Agricola was not just a simple general. His destiny, fascinating and enigmatic, marked history.

Agricola

A meteoric rise and a thwarted destiny in the Roman Empire

Although he is best known for ruling Britain, Agricola could have become Roman Emperor. Dark forces prevented this ascension. Born during the consulship of Caligula, he was the son of an upright senator. From birth, he was marked by tragedy: his father, Julius Graecinus, was killed for defying Caligula, and his mother, Julia Procillia, died under the soldiers of Otho.

Young and ambitious, Agricola had a brilliant military career in Britain under Nero. He distinguished himself particularly during the conquest of the British Isles. He commanded the Legio XX Valeria Victrix, a victorious legion, combining strategy and discipline. Later, he was appointed governor of Aquitaine, then of Britain. There, his victories and peaceful reforms left their mark.

But his success had a shadow. In 84 AD, as he was preparing to return to Rome, he chose to return discreetly. He feared the jealousy of the Emperor Domitian, who saw him as a rival. Yet his legacy remains immense. His victories, his noble character and his actions remain etched in history, immortalized by his biographer Tacitus, who wrote: "All that we loved about Agricola will remain in the memory of men, in the eternity of time."

The statue of General Agricola in Fréjus: an enduring tribute to a Roman hero

The statue that adorns the Place Agricola in Fréjus, the work of the ironworker Jean-Marie Luccerini in 1986, symbolises this lasting memory. Other traces of his passage exist beyond the borders of Fréjus. In Bath, England, a statue of Agricola stands in the thermal baths, testifying to his influence and the recognition he received at the time.

His story is that of a man who was both a victim of his time and a hero of his destiny. Agricola left his mark on the history of Roman Britain. His legacy goes beyond his military victories. Fréjus, his hometown, preserves this statue as a vibrant tribute. It perpetuates the memory of a man whose actions still resonate today.

Agricola Statue

Agricola Square

83600 Fréjus

04 94 53 82 47

06 37 67 73 73

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