Sens is a sub-prefecture and the second largest city of the department, the sixth largest in the region. It is crossed by the Yonne and the Vanne, which empties into the Yonne here.
History
The city is said to have been one of the oppida of the Senones, one of the oldest Celtic tribes living in Gaul. It is mentioned as Agedincum by Julius Caesar[4] several times in his Commentarii de Bello Gallico.
The Roman city was built during the first century BC and surrounded by walls during the third (notable parts of the walls still remain, with alterations along the centuries). It still retains today the skeleton of its Roman street plan.[5] The site was referred to by Ammianus Marcellinus as Senones (oppidum Senonas), where the future emperor Julian faced an Alamannic siege for a few months, but it did not become an administrative center until after the reorganization of the Roman Empire in 375, when it was the chief town of Lugdunensis Quarta.
During the Middle Ages its archbishops held the prestigious role of primate of Gaul and Germany. The bishop of Sens became an archbishop as early as the mid-5th century, but the cult of the traditional founders Savinian and Potentian, not mentioned by Gregory of Tours, did not appear until the 8th century, when they were added to the local recension of the Seventy Apostles.[6] The Hôtel de Sens in Paris was their official residence in that city. The Archdiocese of Sens ruled over the dioceses of Chartres, Auxerre, Meaux, Paris, Orléans, Nevers and Troyes, summarized by the acronym CAMPONT. This city was conquered by a Muslim army in 725 AD, but was abandoned quickly after the death of the commander of the army, Anbasa ibn Suhaym al-Kalbi, from natural causes.
Sens experienced troublesome times during the Wars of Religion. In 1562, 100 of the town’s Huguenot population were killed in the Massacre of Sens.[7]
The city declined after Paris was elevated to archdiocese in 1622. Since 2002, Sens remains an archbishopric (though the incumbent has resided in Auxerre since 1929?)[citation needed] but with no metropolitical function (no pallium or marriage appeals).
Despite the creation of new regions, Sens remains subject to the Paris cour d'appel.
Population
Historical population
Year
Pop.
±% p.a.
1793
10,957
—
1800
9,165
−2.52%
1806
8,675
−0.91%
1821
8,718
+0.03%
1831
9,279
+0.63%
1836
9,095
−0.40%
1841
10,099
+2.12%
1846
10,525
+0.83%
1851
10,645
+0.23%
1856
10,845
+0.37%
1861
11,098
+0.46%
1866
11,901
+1.41%
1872
11,514
−0.55%
1876
12,309
+1.68%
1881
13,515
+1.89%
1886
14,035
+0.76%
1891
14,006
−0.04%
1896
14,924
+1.28%
Year
Pop.
±% p.a.
1901
14,962
+0.05%
1906
15,007
+0.06%
1911
15,034
+0.04%
1921
15,311
+0.18%
1926
16,172
+1.10%
1931
17,465
+1.55%
1936
17,783
+0.36%
1946
17,329
−0.26%
1954
18,612
+0.90%
1962
20,015
+0.91%
1968
23,035
+2.37%
1975
26,463
+2.00%
1982
26,602
+0.07%
1990
27,082
+0.22%
1999
26,904
−0.07%
2007
25,844
−0.50%
2012
25,106
−0.58%
2017
25,935
+0.65%
Graphs are unavailable due to technical issues. There is more info on Phabricator and on MediaWiki.org.
^The manuscripts of the Gallic War also give varied readings of Agendicum and Agetincum (William Smith, ed. A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography); the gilded statue of "Brennus" ("leader") surmounts the hôtel de ville.
^Its Cardo (rue de la République) and Decumanus Maximus (Grande Rue) still meet at near right angles.
^Goyau, G. (1912). "Sens". Catholic Encyclopedia. New Advent. Retrieved November 14, 2021.
^Carroll, Stuart (2012). "The Rights of Violence". Past & Present (Supplement 7): 142.
