Augusta Viromanduorum

Augusta Viromanduorum is an ancient Gallo-Roman settlement, corresponding to the modern city of Saint-Quentin (Aisne, Hauts-de-France).

History

Augusta Viromandorum, was founded during the reign of Emperor Augustus, just 11km away from Vermand, the main oppidum of the Viromandui.[1] The settlement is mentioned as Au̓goústa Ou̓iromandúōn (Αὐγούστα <Οὐι>ρομανδύων) by Ptolemy (2nd c. AD),[2] as Augusta Veromandorum in the Antonine Itinerary, as Aug. Viro Muduorum on the Tabula Peutingeriana (5th c.), and perhaps as Civitas Veromandorum by the Notitia Galliarum (ca. 400).[3][4]

Closer to an important trade route between Italy and the port of Boulogne, Augusta Viromandorum soon replaced Vermand as the main settlement of the region.[5] It reached a size of 40–60ha during the Roman era, in the average of Gallo-Roman chief towns.[6]

During the 4th century, the lack of archaeological evidence suggest that the settlement was deserted or its population considerably reduced.[7] Some scholars have argued that Vermand replaced Augusta as the capital from this period up until the 9th century, when the regional prominence shifted definitely to Saint-Quentin in the 9th century. This "fluctuation" of power could be explained by the insecurities of the period, which led the local inhabitants to seek for protection in the old though near oppidum, since Saint-Quentin did not possess a castrum.[8] Malsy (2001) rejects this hypothesis,[9] and Beaujard and Prévot (2004) doubt it, suggesting that the episcopal siege may have been in Saint-Quentin before its transfer to Noyon.[10]

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References
  1. Collart 2007, p. 367.
  2. Ptolemy. Geōgraphikḕ Hyphḗgēsis, 2:9:6
  3. Nègre 1990, p. 158.
  4. Falileyev 2010, entry 1858.
  5. Collart 2007, p. 366.
  6. Collart 2007, pp. 367, 377.
  7. Collart 2007, p. 378.
  8. Collart & Gaillard 2004, p. 493.
  9. Malsy 2001, pp. 639–645.
  10. Beaujard & Prévot 2004, pp. 32–33.

Bibliography
  • Beaujard, Brigitte; Prévot, Françoise (2004). "Introduction à l'étude des capitales "éphémères" de la Gaule (Ier s.-début VIIe s.)". Supplément à la Revue archéologique du centre de la France. 25 (1): 17–37.
  • Collart, Jean-Luc; Gaillard, Michèle (2004). "Vermand /Augusta Viromanduorum (Aisne)". Supplément à la Revue archéologique du centre de la France. 25 (1): 493–496.
  • Collart, Jean-Luc (2007). "Au Bas-Empire la capitale des Viromandui se trouvait-elle à Saint-Quentin ou à Vermand ?". In Hanoune, Roger (ed.). Les villes romaines du Nord de la Gaule, Actes du XXVe colloque international de Halma-IPEL UMR CNRS 8164. Collection Art et Archéologie. 10. Revue du Nord. Hors-Série. pp. 349–393.
  • 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.
  • Malsy, Jean-Claude (2001). Dictionnaire des noms de lieu du département de l'Aisne. 3. Société Française d'Onomastique.
  • Nègre, Ernest (1990). Toponymie générale de la France (in French). Librairie Droz. ISBN 978-2-600-02883-7.

Further reading

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