Nîmes (nēm), the capital of Gard, a French department, lies in the valley of the Cevennes. It has narrow, crooked streets, and its principal interest lies in the Roman remains; there being the Corinthian Maison Carrée, now a museum; an amphitheatre seating 20,000; a mausoleum, baths and two gates. The city is the seat of large manufactories of silk, cotton, carpets, shawls, wine, brandy etc. Nimes was settled from Marseilles and became one of the great cities of Gaul. It was in the hands of the Visigoths (465), Franks (507) and Saracens (725); then it belonged to Aragon; but finally it came into the possession of France in 1259 by the treaty of Corbeil. Population 80,605.
