View source for Raetia

{{Short description|Roman province}}
{{For multi|the EuroCity train service|Rätia (train)|the Free State|Three Leagues|the canton of the Helvetic Republic|Canton of Raetia}}
{{Infobox Former Subdivision
|native_name  = {{aut|Provincia Raetia}}
|conventional_long_name = Raetia
|common_name  = Raetia
|subdivision  = [[Roman province|Province]]
|nation       = the [[Roman Empire]]
|era          = [[ancient history|Antiquity]]
|capital      = [[Augusta Vindelicorum]]
|title_leader = 
|image_map    = Roman Empire - Raetia (125 AD).svg
|image_map_caption = 
|coordinates  = {{Coord|47.3600|N|8.5600|E|source:wikidata_adm1st|display=title,inline}}
|life_span    =
|year_start   = 15 BC
|event_start  = 
|event1       = 
|date_event1  = 
|year_end     = 476 AD
|event_end    = Ostrogothic conquest{{citation needed|date=February 2015}}
|p1           = 
|flag_p1      = 
|s1           = Ostrogoths
|s2           = Alemanni
|s3           = Baiuvarii
|s4           = Churraetia
| today                  = {{plainlist|
* [[Austria]]
* [[Switzerland]]
* [[Germany]]
* [[Liechtenstein]]
* [[Italy]]
}}
|demonym=
}}
[[File:Roman Empire 125.png|thumb|250px|The Roman empire in the time of [[Hadrian]] (ruled 117–138 AD), showing, on the upper [[Danube]] river, the [[imperial province]] of '''Raetia''' (Switzerland/Tyrol/Germany south of the Danube), with no [[Roman legion|legions]] deployed there in 125.]]
[[File:REmpire Rhetia.png|thumb|250px|Province of Raetia highlighted.]]

'''Raetia''' or '''Rhaetia''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|r|iː|ʃ|(|i|)|ə}} {{respell|REE|sh(ee|)ə}},{{cn|date=August 2025}} {{IPA|la|ˈrae̯.ti.a|lang}}) was a [[Roman province|province]] of the [[Roman Empire]] named after the [[Rhaetian people]]. It bordered on the west with the country of the [[Helvetii]], on the east with [[Noricum]], on the north with [[Vindelicia]], on the south-west with [[Gallia Narbonensis|Transalpine Gaul]] and on the south with [[Venetia et Histria]], a region of [[Roman Italy]].

It thus comprised the districts occupied in modern times by eastern and central [[Switzerland]] (containing the [[Upper Rhine]] and [[Lake Constance]]), southern [[Germany]] ([[Bavaria]] and most of [[Baden-Württemberg]]), [[Vorarlberg]] and the greater part of [[Tyrol (state)|Tyrol]] in [[Austria]], and part of northern [[Lombardy]] in [[Italy]]. The region of Vindelicia (today eastern [[Württemberg]] and western Bavaria) was annexed to the province at a later date than the others. The northern border of Raetia during the reigns of [[Roman emperor|emperors]] [[Augustus]] and [[Tiberius]] was the [[River Danube]]. Later the [[Limes Germanicus]] marked the northern boundary, stretching for 166&nbsp;km north of the Danube. Raetia was connected to Italy across the Alps over the [[Reschen Pass]], by the [[Via Claudia Augusta]].

The capital of the province was [[Augusta Vindelicorum]], present-day [[Augsburg]] in southern Germany.

==History==
{{See also|Switzerland in the Roman era}}

Little is known of the origin or history of the [[Rhaetian people|Raetians]], who appear in the records as one of the most powerful and warlike of the [[Alps|Alpine]] tribes. [[Livy]] states distinctly<ref name=EB1911/><ref>''Ab urbe condita'' [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin/ptext?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.02.0026&layout=&loc=5.33 v. 33]</ref> that they were of [[Etruscan civilization|Etruscan]] origin (a belief that was favored by [[Barthold Georg Niebuhr|Niebuhr]] and [[Theodor Mommsen|Mommsen]]). A tradition reported by [[Justin (historian)|Justin]]<ref>xx. 5</ref> and [[Pliny the Elder]]<ref name=EB1911/><ref>''Naturalis Historia'', [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin/ptext?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.02.0137&layout=&loc=3.24 iii. 24], 133</ref> affirmed that they were a portion of that people who had settled in the plains of the [[Po River|Po]] and were driven into the mountains by the invading [[Gauls]], when they assumed the name of "Raetians" from an [[eponym]]ous leader Raetus. Even if their Etruscan origin be accepted, at the time when the land became known to the Romans, [[Celt]]ic tribes were already in possession of much of it and had amalgamated so completely with the original inhabitants that, generally speaking, the Raetians of later times may be regarded as a Celtic people, although non-Celtic tribes (es. [[Euganei]]) were settled among them.<ref name=EB1911/>

The Raetians are first mentioned (but only incidentally) by [[Polybius]],<ref name=EB1911/><ref>Histories [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin/ptext?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0234&layout=&loc=34.10 xxxiv. 10], iS</ref> and little is heard of them till after the end of the [[Roman Republic|Republic]]. There is little doubt, however, that they retained their independence until their subjugation in 15 BC by [[Tiberius]] and [[Nero Claudius Drusus|Drusus]].<ref name=EB1911/><ref>compare [[Horace]], ''Odes'', [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin/ptext?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.02.0025&layout=&loc=4.4 iv. 4] and [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin/ptext?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.02.0025&layout=&loc=4.14 14]</ref>

At first Raetia formed a distinct province, but towards the end of the 1st century AD Vindelicia was added to it; hence, [[Gaius Cornelius Tacitus|Tacitus]] (''[[Germania (book)|Germania]]'', 41) could speak of ''Augusta Vindelicorum'' ([[Augsburg]]) as "a [[colony]] of the province of Raetia". The whole province (including Vindelicia) was at first under a military [[prefect]], then under a [[Procurator (Roman)|procurator]]; it had no standing army quartered in it but relied on its own native troops and [[militia]] for protection until the 2nd century AD.<ref name=EB1911/>

During the reign of [[Marcus Aurelius]], Raetia was governed by the commander of the [[Legio III Italica|Legio III ''Italica'']], which was based in Castra Regina ([[Regensburg]]) by 179 AD. Under [[Diocletian]], Raetia formed part of the [[diocese]] of the ''vicarius Italiae'', and was subdivided into ''Raetia prima'', with a ''praeses'' at Curia Raetorum ([[Chur]]) and ''Raetia secunda'', with a ''praeses'' at Augusta Vindelicorum (Augsburg), the former corresponding to the old Raetia, the latter to Vindelicia. The boundary between them is not clearly defined, but may be stated generally as a line drawn eastwards from the ''lacus Brigantinus'' ([[Lake Constance]]) to the ''Oenus'' ([[Inn (river)|River Inn]]).<ref name=EB1911/>

During the last years of the [[Western Roman Empire]], the land was in a desolate condition, but its occupation by the [[Ostrogoths]] in the time of [[Theodoric the Great]], who placed it under a ''[[dux]]'', to some extent revived its prosperity.<ref name=EB1911/> Much of ''Raetia prima'' remained as a separate political unit, [[Raetia Curiensis]], for several centuries, until it was attached to the [[Duchy of Swabia]] in AD 917.

==Economy==
The land was very mountainous, and the inhabitants, when not engaged in predatory expeditions, chiefly supported themselves by breeding cattle and cutting timber, little attention being paid to agriculture. Some of the valleys, however, were rich and fertile, and produced wine, which was considered equal to any in [[Italia (Roman province)|Italia]]. [[Augustus]] preferred Raetian wine to any other. Considerable trade in [[Pitch (resin)|pitch]], [[honey]], [[wax]], and [[cheese]] occurred.<ref name=EB1911/>

==Geography==
The chief towns of Raetia (excluding Vindelicia) were Tridentum ([[Trento]]) and Curia (Coire or [[Chur]]). It was traversed by two great lines of Roman roads: the [[Via Claudia Augusta]] leading from [[Verona, Italy|Verona]] and Tridentum across the [[Reschen Pass]] to the [[Fern Pass]] and thence to Augusta Vindelicorum ([[Augsburg]]),<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.viaclaudia.org/en/introduction/ |title=Via Claudia Augusta – die alte Römerstraße, Bayern, Tirol, Südtirol, Italien: Introduction |access-date=2010-10-12 |archive-date=2018-06-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180627230812/http://www.viaclaudia.org/en/introduction/ |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name=EB1911/> the other from Brigantium ([[Bregenz]]) on Lake Constance by Chur and [[Chiavenna]] to [[Como]] and [[Milan]].<ref name=EB1911>{{EB1911|wstitle=Raetia|volume=22|pages=812–813|inline=1}}</ref>

The [[Rätikon]] mountain range derives its name from Raetia.

===Important cities===
{{Div col|colwidth=13em}}
*''Alae'' ([[Aalen]])
*''Arbor Felix'' ([[Arbon TG|Arbon]])
*''Abodiacum'' ([[Epfach]])
*''Aquileia'' ([[Heidenheim an der Brenz]])
*''Augusta Vindelicorum'' ([[Augsburg]])
*''Ausugum'' ([[Borgo Valsugana]])
*''Bauzanum'' or ''Pons Drusi'' ([[Bolzano]])
*''Belunum'' ([[Belluno]])
*''Bilitio'' ([[Bellinzona]])
*''Brigantium'' ([[Bregenz]])
*''Cambodunum'' ([[Kempten im Allgäu]])
*''Castra Batava'' ([[Passau]])
*''Castra Regina'' ([[Regensburg]])
*''Clavenna'' ([[Chiavenna]])
*''Clunia'' (probably [[Feldkirch, Vorarlberg|Feldkirch]] or [[Balzers]])
*''Curia'' ([[Chur]])
*''Endidae'' ([[Neumarkt, South Tyrol|Neumarkt]])
*''Feltria'' ([[Feltre]])
*''Foetes'' ([[Füssen]])
*''Guntia'' ([[Günzburg]])
*''Gamundia Romana'' ([[Schwäbisch Gmünd]])
*''Oscela'' ([[Domodossola]])
*''Parthanum'' ([[Partenkirchen]])
*''Sebatum'' ([[St. Lorenzen|San Lorenzo di Sebato/St. Lorenzen]])
*''Sorviodurum'' ([[Straubing]])
*''Sublavio'' ([[Waidbruck|Ponte Gardena/Waidbruck]])
*''Tridentum'' ([[Trento]])
*''Veldidena'' ([[Wilten]] district of [[Innsbruck]])
*''Vipitenum'' ([[Sterzing|Vipiteno/Sterzing]])
{{div col end}}

== See also ==
*[[Alpine regiments of the Roman army]]
*[[List of Roman governors of Raetia]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

== Further reading ==
* {{cite web |author1=Bagnall, R. |author2=J. Drinkwater |author3=A. Esmonde-Cleary |author4=W. Harris |author5=R. Knapp |author6=S. Mitchell |author7=S. Parker |author8=C. Wells |author9=J. Wilkes |author10=R. Talbert |author11=M. E. Downs |author12=M. Joann McDaniel |author13=B. Z. Lund |author14=T. Elliott |author15=S. Gillies |title=Places: 991348 (Raetia) |url=http://pleiades.stoa.org/places/991348 |date=18 January 2018 |access-date=March 8, 2012 |publisher=Pleiades}}
* A. Baruffi, ''Spirit of Rhaetia: The Call of the Holy Mountains'' (LiteraryJoint, Philadelphia, 2020), {{ISBN|978-1-716-30027-1}}
* [[Julius Jung]], ''Römer und Romanen in den Donauländern'' (Innsbruck, 1877)
* [[Joachim Marquardt]], ''Römische Staatsverwaltung'', 1. (2nd ed., 1881) p.&nbsp;288
* Mommsen, T. in ''Corpus Inscriptionum Latinarum'', iii. p.&nbsp;706
* Mommsen, T. ''The Roman Provinces'' (English translation, 1886), i. pp.&nbsp;16, 161, 196
* Smith, William. [[William Smith (lexicographer)|Smith]]'s ''Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography'' (1873)
* Peaks, Mary B. ''The General Civil and Military Administration of Noricum and Raetia'' (Chicago, 1907).
* [[Ludwig Steub]], ''Ueber die Urbewohner Rätiens und ihren Zusammenhang mit den Etruskern'' (Munich, 1843)
* von Planta, P. C. ''Das alte Rätien'' (Berlin, 1872)

{{Roman provinces AD 117}} 
{{Late Roman Provinces}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Raetia| ]]
[[Category:10s establishments in the Roman Empire]]
[[Category:10s establishments]]
[[Category:15 establishments]]
[[Category:470s disestablishments in the Roman Empire]]
[[Category:476 disestablishments]]
[[Category:Ancient Switzerland]]
[[Category:History of Swabia]]
[[Category:History of Vorarlberg]]
[[Category:Provinces of the Roman Empire]]
[[Category:States and territories disestablished in the 5th century]]
[[Category:States and territories established in the 1st century BC]]