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Gallia Narbonensis
The description of Pline the Elder :
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Narbonensis provincia appellatur pars Galliarum quae
interno mari adluitur, Bracata antea dicta, amne Varo
ab Italia discreta Alpiumque vel saluberrimis Romano
imperio iugis, a reliqua vero Gallia latere septentrionali
montibus Cebenna et Iuribus, agrorum cultu, virorum
morumque dignatione, amplitudine opum nulli provinciarum
postferenda breviterque Italia verius quam provincia…. "
(C. PLINII SECVNDI OPERA, Naturalis Historia)
That part of the Gallias which is washed by the inland
sea (1)
is called the province of Gallia Narbonensis, having
formerly borne the name of Braccata (2).
It is divided from Italy by the river Varus, and by
the range of the Alps, the great safeguards of the
Roman Empire. From the remainder of Gaul, on the north,
it is separated by the mountains Cebenna and Jura.
In the cultivation of the soil, the manners and civilization
of the inhabitants, and the extent of its wealth,
it is surpassed by none of the provinces, and, in
short, might be more truthfully described as a part
of Italy than as a province.
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In his description, Pline mentions cities
we'll visit during our journey :
The towns are few in number, in consequence of the numerous
lakes which skirt the sea-shore (3)
: [among them] we have Agatha, formerly
belonging to the Massilians [...]. The colonies in the interior
are Arelate Sextanorum (4),
(...), Arausio Secundanorum (5).
[...] The towns that enjoy Latian rights are [...] : Glanum
Livi, [...], Nemausum in the territory
of the Arecomici [...], Vasio
and Lucus Augusti, the two capitals of the federate state
of the Vocontii. [...] According to Agrippa the lenght of
the province of Gallia Narbonensis is 370 miles, and its breath
248 (6).
Notes :
- (1)
"Bracata", from the linen breeches which the inhabitants wore,
a fashion which was not adopted by the Romans till the time
of the Emperors.
- (2)
Pline the Elder ( 23-79 ap.J.C.) don't mention Ensérune :
in the Ist century A.D., the oppidum was abandoned for Narbonne.
- (3)
Arelate of the Sixth Legion, a military colony; now the city
of Arles.
- (4)
Arausio of the Second Legion, now Orange.
- (5)
It is not known from what points these measurements of our
author are taken.
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