Veragri
The Veragrī (
Along with the
Name
They are mentioned as Veragros by Caesar (mid-1st c. BC),[2] uer agri by Livy (late 1st c. BC),[3] Ou̓áragroi (Οὐάραγροι) by Strabo (early 1st c. AD),[4] Varagri by Pliny (1st c. AD),[5] Ouarágrous (Οὐαράγρους) by Cassius Dio (3rd c. AD),[6] and as Veragros (var. beragros, ueragres) by Orosius (early 5th c. AD).[7][8]
The
The river-name Veraglasca, located in their settlement area, derives from the ethnic name Veragri extended by a sko-suffix.[10]
Geography
Territory
The Veragri dwelled in the Pennine Alps, near a trade route connecting ancient Valais to the Italian Peninsula, where they organized traffic over the Great St Bernard Pass.[11] Their territory was located south of the Nantuates, west of the Seduni and Uberi, northeast of the Allobroges, and north of the Salassi, on the other side of the Alps.[12][11]
After the Roman conquered the region in 16–15 BC, their territory was initially administered in common with the province of
Settlements
Their chief town was known as
Between 41 and 47 AD, the Romans founded a new settlement in the vicinity of Octodurus. Initially called Forum Claudii Augusti and soon renamed
History
In 57–56 BC, the Veragri were attacked by
During the same period Servius Galba, who was serving as his lieutenant, had, while the season lasted and his army remained a unit, brought to terms the Veragri, who dwelt along Lake Leman and beside the Allobroges as far as the Alps; some he had gained by force and others through surrender, and he was even preparing to winter where he was. When, however, the majority of the soldiers had departed, some on furlough because they were not far from Italy, and others elsewhere for reasons of their own, the natives took advantage of this situation and unexpectedly attacked him. Then Galba, driven mad by despair, suddenly dashed out of the winter camp, astounding his besiegers by the incredible boldness of his move, and passing through them, gained the heights. On reaching safety he fought them off and later subjugated them.
— Cassius Dio 1914. Rhōmaïkḕ Historía, 39:5:2.
They are mentioned by Pliny the Elder as one of the Alpine tribes conquered by Rome in 16–15 BC, and whose name was engraved on the Tropaeum Alpium.[1][5]
References
- ^ a b c Graßl 2006b.
- ^ Caesar. Commentarii de Bello Gallico, 3:1, 3:2.
- ^ Livy. Ab Urbe Condita Libri, 2:38:8.
- ^ Strabo. Geōgraphiká, 4:6:6.
- ^ a b Pliny. Naturalis Historia, 3:20.
- ^ Cassius Dio. Rhōmaïkḕ Historía, 39:5:2.
- ^ Orosius. Historiae Adversus Paganos, 6:8:1.
- ^ a b c Falileyev 2010, s.v. Veragri and Octodurus.
- ^ Delamarre 2003, p. 35, 314.
- ^ de Bernardo Stempel 2006, p. 51.
- ^ a b c d Graßl 2006a.
- ^ Talbert 2000, Map 17: Lugdunum, Map 18: Augustonemetum-Vindonissa.
- ^ Wiblé 2013.
- ^ Wiblé 2004, p. 453.
- ^ Wiblé 2004, p. 451–453; Wiblé 2009.
Primary sources
- ISBN 978-0-674-99080-7.
- ISBN 978-0-674-99041-8.
- ISBN 978-0674992566.
- ISBN 9780674993648.
Bibliography
- ISSN 1578-5386.
- ISBN 9782877723695.
- Falileyev, Alexander (2010). Dictionary of Continental Celtic Place-names: A Celtic Companion to the Barrington Atlas of the Greek and Roman World. CMCS. ISBN 978-0955718236.
- Graßl, Herbert (2006a). "Veragri". Brill's New Pauly. .
- Graßl, Herbert (2006b). "Vallenses". Brill's New Pauly. .
- ISBN 978-0691031699.
- Wiblé, François (2004). "Martigny / Octodurus (Suisse)". Supplément à la Revue archéologique du centre de la France. 25 (1): 451–456. ISSN 1951-6207.
- Wiblé, François (2009). "Forum Claudii Vallensium". Historisches Lexikon der Schweiz. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
- Wiblé, François (2013). "Véragres". Historisches Lexikon der Schweiz. Retrieved 25 January 2022.