Noricum (1974)

471 Pages·2015·26.663 MB·English

by  Geza Alfoldy, Anthony Birley (tr.)

Routledge Revivals
Noricum
The Roman province of Noricum occupied most of Austria as well as parts of Italy,
Germany and the Balkans. Noricum, first published in 1974, presents a comprehensive
history of the province, from 400 BC to the end of Roman rule in AD 600.
Professor Alföldy’s account is predicated on the methodical interpretation of literary,
epigraphic and archaeological sources, and emphasises the problems of demography and
socio-economic history. The chapters are arranged chronologically, ensuring a sense of
the continuity of historical events and illuminating the history and archaeology of
Noricum both before it came into contact with the Romans as well as under Roman
rule.
Noricum includes a review of much recent research on the province, detailed references
to the source material, a comprehensive bibliography and valuable appendices. It is a
substantial work of ancient history and archaeology and will interest both the specialist
and the general reader.
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Noricum
Géza Alföldy
Firstpublishedin1974
byRoutledge&KeganPaulLtd
Thiseditionfirstpublishedin2014byRoutledge
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andbyRoutledge
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©1974GézaAlföldy
The right of Géza Alföldy to be identified as author of this work has been asserted by him in
accordancewithsections77and78oftheCopyright,DesignsandPatentsAct1988.
Allrightsreserved.Nopartofthisbookmaybereprintedorreproducedorutilisedinanyformorby
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ALibraryofCongressrecordexistsunderLCcontrolnumber:74176996
ISBN13:978-1-138-01814-3(hbk)
ISBN13:978-1-315-77992-8(ebk)
Noricum
Geza Alföldy
Professor of Ancient History
Ruhr-Universität Bochum
Translated by
Anthony Birley
LONDON AND BOSTON
ROUTLEDGE & KEGAN PAUL
First published il1 I9 7 4
by Routledge & Kegan Paul Ltd
Broadway House, 63-74 Carter Lane
London EC4 V JEL and
9 Park Street,
Boston, Mass. 02I03, U.S.A.
Printcd in Great Britain by
Richard Clay (Th e Chaucer Press) Ltd
Bungqy, Suffolk
© Geza Aljöldy I974
oJ
No part this book mqy be reprodttced in
any form without permission from the
publisher, except for the quotation of brief
passages in criticism
ISBN 0 7IOO 7}2} 0
Contents
Preface xvii
Chronological table xxi
Chapter Research, sources and geography
I I
Modern research and the ancient sources 1
Noricum in ancient geographical works 7
The physical geography of the country 9
Roads and communications 11
Chapter 2 Veneti, Illyrians and Celts 14
The problem of the pre-Roman population 14
Veneti and Illyrians 17
Celts 21
T aurisci and N orici 25
Chapter 3 The rise of the regntlm Noricutll 28
Rome and the east Alpine lands 28
The early regnum Noricum 31
The Cimbric invasion and Noricum 35
Chapter 4 The regnum Noricum in the first century B.C. 39
Noricum and the Boii
39
The state, society and economy 42
The republican settlement on the Magdalensberg 44
The Noreia question 47
vii
Contents
Chapter J The Roman annexation 52
The occupation ofNoricum 52
The establishment of the province's borders
57
Chapter 6 Noricum under Augustus and Tiberius 62
The administration and the army 62
The civitates 66
The golden age of the Magdalensberg
7°
Population and society 74
Chapter 7 The reforms of Claudius and their consequences 78
Provincial administration 78
Urbanisation and citizenship 81
The building of the towns 87
Territoria and the local government of the towns 96
Roads, limes and army 1°3
Chapter 3 Town and country under the Flavians and Antonines I06
Farming I06
Industry I08
Trade III
Mining II3
The running of the economy II4
The upper classes II7
The lower classes and slavery 127
Romanisation 132
Chapter 9 The Norican frontier and the Marcomannic Wars 143
Army and fron tier under the Flavians and Antonines 143
Noricum and the Marcomannic Wars 152
Chapter IO From the Marcomannic Wars to Diocletian 159
The administration 159
Limes, army and warfare 165
Agriculture, mining, industry and trade 171
The financial crisis and the fate of the towns 178
The transformation of society 187
Spiritual and intellectual changes 193
vüi
Contents
Chapter I I From Diocletian to Honorius 198
The administration 199
The Norican limes from Diocletian to Honorius
201
Town and country
205
The spread of Christianity
208
Chapter 12 The decline of Roman rule 213
N orieum in the fifth eentury and the work of St Severinus 21 3
The abandonment of Noricum Ripense and the fate of the
~~rior 2~
Appendices
I 'Venetie' personal names in Noricum 229
II 'Illyrian' personal names in Norieum
230
III Celtic personal names in Norieum 232
IV Celtie names of deities in Norieum 239
V The presidial proeurators of Noricum 242
VI Senatorial governors of Noricum 248
VII Agentes vices praesidis in Norieum 251
VIII Beneftciarii posts in Noricum 252
IX Offices of the Illyrian eustoms-zone (portorium publicum
Illyrici) in Noricum 254
X The auxiliary units in Noricum 257
XI Noricans in the Roman army 261
XII Distribution of imperial gentilicia among the native
population of Noricum 262
XIII Town officials, eouncillors and collegia 264
XIV Equites Romani from Noricum 274
XV Senators from Noricum 277
XVI Dated milestones in Norieum 278
XVII Evidenee for Christianity in Noricum (individual sites) 279
Notes 283
Abbreviations of periodicals and works of referenee 349
Seleet Bibliography 352
Indexes 383
General Map of Noricum
Plates
ix