Anthon, Isère

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Coordinates: 45°47′30″N 5°10′14″E / 45.7916666667, 5.17055555556

Commune of Anthon
Location
Anthon, Isère (France)
Anthon, Isère
Administration
Country France
Region Rhône-Alpes
Department Isère
Arrondissement Vienne
Canton Pont-de-Chéruy
Mayor M. Pierre Robert
(2001-2008)
Statistics
Elevation 182 m–249 m
(avg. 200 m)
Land area¹ 8.82 km²
Population²
(1999)		 917
 - Density 103/km² (1999)
Miscellaneous
INSEE/Postal code 38011/ 38280
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.
2 Population sans doubles comptes: residents of multiple communes (e.g. students and military personnel) only counted once.
France

Anthon is a commune in the Isère department in southeastern France.

Contents

[edit] Geography

Anton stands on the left bank of the River Rhône opposite its confluence with the River Ain, about 30 kilometres upstream from the centre of Lyon. Its inhabitants are Anthonois.

[edit] History

The place was originally established as a town by one Antonius Nepos. The only one we have named in Roman history was the fellow consul of Cicero in 62 BCE. He was Caius Antonius Nepos, uncle of the triumvir Marcus Antonius and second son of Marcus Antonius Orator.

Caius Antonius Nepos was condemned for misappropriation of public funds and exiled in 59 BCE. He found refuge in Cephellenia according to some and in Gaul according to others. We might assume therefore that Anthon was the place.

A poem of about 450 CE, by Sidonius Apollinaris celebrates the vines of Anthon.

The Lords of Anthon have been from time immemorial, the tenants of this land. Nowhere in the period of Charlemagne's empire, nor in those around that period is there an indication of their having obtained it. We are therefore left to conclude that they have held the land since Antiquity.

Guichard I brought fame on himself during the First Crusade in 1096. His distant descendant, Louis d'Anthon disappeared in 1326, the manor was awarded to his younger sister who gave it up to her aunt, spouse of Hugues de Genève.

It passed next to the Saluces. The d'Anthons had as a coat of arms (blazon): "gules, dragon or with human head.

The d'Anthon family survived some time through a cadet branch, the Varaxs which died out in the fifteenth century. The descent of Louis d'Anthon is not known. Several branches of the d'Anthons or Dantons claim descent from him.

There was also the "Battle of Anthon" which took place on 11 June 1430. Louis de Chalon, strengthened by his impressive numerical superiority with his 4 000 men, calmly advanced to the aid of the château de Colombier but he did not know that it had already been captured. He set out on the way from Anton to Colombier which winds through the woods but there were 1,600 soldiers from the Dauphiné (that is to say his enemies) lying in ambush in the thickets near the village of Janneyrias.

The Orangist (supporting the House of Orange), strung out along the narrow path, was sorely surprised throughout. The powerful Orangist cavalry was caught in a trap. Soon, there was general confusion and they were heading for Anthon; every man for himself. The fugitives abandoned arms and baggage and ran away through the wood. More than 200 men drowned themselves in trying to cross the tumultuous Rhône. That is how the 'Battle of Anthon' ended, with the Dauphiné saved.

[edit] Administration

List of the successive mayors
period name party background
March 2001 M. Pierre Robert
Earlier data are not yet known.

[edit] Demography

Demographic development
1962 1968 1975 1982 1990 1999
201 225 264 333 697 917
Number recorded from 1968 : Population without double counting

[edit] Sites and monuments

  • Ancient tower
  • 19th century church

[edit] Personalities connected with the commune

[edit] See also

[edit] External links