Located between the Bavay-Cambrai and Bavay-Tournai Roman roads, on the frontier between Nervien and Atrebates territories, the ancient town of Famars, covered an area of 80 hectares, but curiously figures neither in the Peutinger Table nor in the Antonine Itinerary. Its ancient name, Fanum Martis, indicates that there was probably a temple dedicated to Mars, still to be discovered. A city of Gallia Belgica, it was also an important Roman military camp (castrum) whose walls are still visible.
Archaeological discoveries were made in 1639 and the ancient town was explored in 1655. In the 19th century, its baths and aqueduct were partly excavated. Between 1917 and 1918, the German archaeologists G. Bersu and W. Unverzagt, profiting from the German occupation, studied the castrum enclosure and the muncipal baths. Much research has been carried out since the post-war period, revealing part of the history of the ancient agglomeration. Today, part of the Roman town is within an archaeological conservation area.

Curated by the Regional Archaeological Service (SRA Nord-Pas-de-Calais), prior to housebuilding by the Group GHI Immobilier, a team from the National Institute of Archaeological Research has been excavating since April 2008, an area of 4.2 hectares, i.e. 5% of the total surface of the ancient city. The aim is to understand the function and organisation of this quarter equipped with a complex water system, and to determine the exact function of the buildings encircling the public space, limited by a large ditch surrounding the theatre.