Gallia Narbonensis

  • Gallia Narbonensis was a Roman Province in Gaul, with the capital at Narbonne, and covered the territory of southeastern France between the frontier with Spain and the frontier with Italy.

1. History

  • Pre-Roman history:
    • 600 BCE Massalia (Marseille) was a city founded by the Greeks from Phocaea. It became a close ally of the Roman Republic who sent an army when Marseille was threatened.
  • Acquisition by Rome:
    • 123 BCE A Roman Army under General Quintus Fabius Maximus defeated the Gallic Tribes of the Arveni and Allobroges.
  • Timeline of this Province:
  • Under The Republic:
    • 121 BCE It became Gallia Transalpina (Its Name differentiated it from Gallia Cisalpina, on the near side of the Alps in Northern Italy) The Province covered the coast from Spain to Italy and the territory either side of the Rhone up to Lake Geneva.
    • 105 BCE Battle of Arausio (Orange) where the Cimbri and Teutoni massacred a Roman Army of 80,000 Legionaries, but instead of invading Italy they moved south through the Pyrenees into Spain. This gave the Romans time to reform and regroup for the next Battle.
    • 102 BCE Battle of Aquae Sextiae (Aix-en-Provence) Where Gaius Marius massacred 90,000 Teutones and Ambrones, capturing 20,000, saving Italy from invasion.
    • Known to the Romans as ‘Provincia Nostra’ meaning ‘Our Province’. Today, the eastern part is called the Department of ‘Provence’ which preserves that Name.
    • The Province was used by Julius Caesar as a launch point for operations during the Gallic Wars
  • After Augustus’ reconstituted the Republic into an Empire (27 BCE):
    • At an unknown date, Narbonne was made the Capital of the Province, which was renamed Gallia Narbonensis, at the expense of Marseille to which it became a rival.
    • Defeat of the Gallic Rebellion in 21 CE, by Julius Sacrovir and Julius Florus.
    • 40,000 rebels were defeated outside Augustodunum Autun, by Gaius Silius with two Legions, the Legio II Augusta and the Legio XIV Gemina. Only the Legio II Augusta is mentioned in the Inscriptions. A Roman Triumphal Arch with triple arches was built at Orange to commemorate the defeat.
  • After Diocletian’s Reforms (297 CE):
    • c.314 CE Gallia Narbonensis and Gallia Aquitania were merged to become the Diocese of Vienne, (Dioecesis Viennensis) with the new Capital at Vienne.
  • After Death of Theodosius (395 CE) and the final split into Eastern Empire and Western Empire:
    • 436 CE The Battle of Narbonne: The Magister Militum, Flavius Aetius, sent General Litorius  rwho succeeded in raising the siege of Narbonne and defeating the Visigoths under their king, Theodoric I.
    • 462 CE Gallia Narbonensis, became known as Septimania, when it was ceded to the Visigoths under King Theodoric II.
    • 486 CE After the Battle of Soissons the rest of Gaul fell to Clovis I and the Merovingians.
  • Famous Persons from this Province:
  • Chief Archeological Finds:
  • Historic Battle Sites:
  • Main Historical Sources for this Province:

2. Geography

  • Capital City:
  • Chief Cities:
  • Location Today:
    • Southeastern France
  • Neighbouring Roman Provinces:
  • Climate and Temperature Today:
    • Languedoc Region
      • This has a Mediterranean climate with hot dry summers, rainy winters and moderate spring and autumns. The inland mountains are cooler and their valleys wetter. It has the hottest summers in France, the highest winds and the greatest thunderstorms. The Mistral Wind blows south down the Rhone Valley and the Tramontane wind blows southeast from the Aude valley.
    • Alps Maritime Region
      • The coast has a Mediterranean climate with dry summers, mild winters and moderate spring and autumns. The Alps have snow from November to May, the inland mountains have an Alpine climate, consisting of cold clear winters with thunderstorms in the summer.
  • Main Geographical features:
    • Fertile Coastal Plain from Perpignan to Marseille with inland lagoons, further east up to Italy, the mountains rise up from the sea. The Rhone Delta and the Camargue, a flat plain of salt water lagoons (etangs) and marshes.
  • Main Rivers:
    • R. Rhone, R. Aude, R. Garonne
  • Mountain Ranges:
    • Massif des Calanques, cliffs, peaks and inlets running 20 km east of Marseille. Alpes-de-Haut-Provence, Alpes-Maritimes, Luberon Massif, Vaucluse (Vallis Clausis – meaning closed valley.) The Massif Central includes the Black Mountains to the southwest, and the Cevennes Mountains to the southeast. In the south, the Pyrenees, of which the Highest Peak is Le Canigou at 9,135 ft (2,784m), visible from Perpignan and always covered in snow.
  • Islands:
    • Near Toulon, the three Isles d’Hyeres: Isle de Porquerolles, Ile du Levant, Ile de Port Cros. Four Isle de Lerins near Cannes: St. Marguerite, St Honorat, St Ferriol, Ilot de la Tradeeliere. Isle Vert opposite La Ciotat. Ile de Bendor opposite Bandol. Ile de la tour Fondue, Isles de Embiez (5) opposite Six-Fours-les-plages. Chateau d’If (The Count of Monte Cristo) and Isles Frioul, and Archipel de Riou are all opposite Marseille.

3. Political Organisation

4. Military Organisation

  • Legions/ Auxiliaries:
  • Vaison-La-Romaine
  • Navy:
  • Frejus (Forum Julii)
  • Arles (Arelate)
    • Classis Fluminis Rhodani based here.
  • Marseille
    • Milites Musculari (Marine unit) based here.
  • Defensive Works:
    • None, as the Maritime Alps acted as a barrier to Italy.
  • Main Threats:

5. Economy

  • Chief Exports:
    • Ostia contains a Mosaic in the Piazzale delle Corporazioni, confirming the Merchants from Narbo traded with Rome:
    • Exports: Wine from Narbonne, Cheese from Pagi near Nimes, Pottery, Grain, Salt, and Ores from the Montaigne Noire (Massif Centrale).
  • Agriculture and Fishing:
  • Manufacturing:
  • Mines:
    • Lascours, Orb Valley: Copper, Silver and Lead Mines
  • Mints:

6. Transport

7. Relationship with Rome

  • Stable and wealthy Province.

8. History of Christianity in this Province

  • Marseille: Christian Catacombs and Saints.
  • St. Sebastian, died c. 288 CE under the Diocletianic Persecution, was from Gallia Narbonensis.
  • St. Genesius of Arles died in 303 or 308 CE under Maximianus, the Patron saint of notaries and secretaries.

9. Films

10. Roman Authors describing this Province

 

Gallia Lugdunensis

Get Directions Go to Visitor Map
Posted in .