The Roman Age in Valle d' Aosta

Roman presence evoked by many, well-preserved monuments

The prospect of conquering Valle dâ€™Aosta by the Roman Empire became a reality during Augustus|" reign, when relations intensified between the Empire and North Gaul, leading to the borders being extended towards the Germanic area. After a series of military initiatives against the mountain population, including the Salassi (Celtic-Ligurian race - then resident in Valle), Aulo Terenzio Varrone gained definitive victory in 25 B.C. The city of Augusta Praetoria (Aosta) was founded right in the heart of the Salassi territory. Part of the local population was annihilated or reduced to slavery, but certain groups integrated into the new Roman society, which lead to a limited merging of the races. Elements of mutual contamination among their respective religions are visible in the linguistic mutation of names of Salassi gods: Iupiter Poeninus which was worshiped on the Gran San Bernardo, lending its name to the pass (Summus Poeninus), which

was certainly not a casual similarity with the Celtic god Penn. The canvas on which Augusta Praetoria was built was clearly linked to the morphology of a Roman, military camp: the city had a rectangular layout, set in a framework where the Cardo Maximus (north-south direction) and Decumanus Maximus (east-west) met. Four, symmetric paired gateways opened the walls: the Principalis Sinistra in the north, Principalis Dextera in the south, the Praetoria in the east and the Decumana in the west. The north saw the gradual construction of the theatre , the amphitheatre , the forum and the spa bathes ; the forum was enclosed by trading activities and a sacred area dedicated to the temples (surrounded by the criptoportico ). The south of the town had the private homes of different social classes, while the outskirts were the location of important, richly decorated villas. Leaving the city through Porta Praetoria, beside Buthier Bridge, you come to an Arch dedicated to the Emperor Augustus,

considered the emblem of Roman power and today a graphic icon in the city. Other important, and often magnificent monuments, were later built in the rest of the region: the Donnas Arch , the Pondel Aqueduct and Bridge and Pont-Saint-Martin . Small settlements were set up along Via delle Gallie, which later became towns that took their name from the milestones marking the distance from the city; these include, â€œquartus lapisâ€, which became Quart, and â€œnonus lapisâ€, now Nus. The forks in this road were key strategic and trade itineraries; one led to the Alpis Graia (Piccolo San Bernardo pass) and present day Lyon, while the other led to the Gran SanÂ Bernardo pass and eased military expeditions to Germany and Great Britain.