Trophy of Augustus and the Conquering of the Camunni

Wikipedia: "The Trophy of the Alps or Trophy of Augustus was built by the Roman emperor Augustus to celebrate his definitive victory over the ancient Celto-Ligurian tribes who populated the region and who had harassed merchants along Roman roads."

Of course, that was from the perspective of the Roman imperialists. They constructed roads into the Alpine regions and declared them "Roman roads." Defacto "Roman territory."

The Camunni were an Italic tribe who traced their culture back six to eight thousand years in the Camonica valley in northern Brescia (and a little part of Bergamo). They were one of the Alpine peoples who were conquered by Rome. Just like any other region in what became the Roman Empire.

For someone to say that "Italians" (via the Romans) conquered certain regions would be false. The Romans even destroyed their parent Etruscan civilization. Now, of course, they did a lot of good as well. They were a light in a very dark world. This issue is covered in more detail in 'The Celti and the Trophy of Augustus'. The Camunni were not Celti, like the Insubres in Western Lombardy, but were influenced by them in their latter history.

The Camunni were one of the "Alpine peoples" who are inscribed in the Trophy of Augustus. Make no mistake about it, this was like a boar head on the wall of a hunter. The city of Brescia (Brixia) was Romanized first, and there are still Roman ruins there. It is said that Brescia started as a Celtic settlement. After the defeat of the Camunni, Cividate Camuno was constructed as the capitol of the new Roman outpost.

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Trophy of Augustus (Wikipedia; see impressive images)

The Trophy of the Alps or Trophy of Augustus was built by the Roman emperor Augustus to celebrate his definitive victory over the ancient Celto-Ligurian tribes who populated the region and who had harassed merchants along Roman roads. Its remains may be seen in the Commune of La Turbie (Alpes-Maritimes), on the Grande Corniche, 6 km from Monaco, and is the principal tourist attraction for the Commune. There is also a small museum with a scale model of the Trophy.

Construction

The stone used to build the monument was originally extracted from the Roman quarry located about 500 meters away. Visitors to that site can still see the traces of sections of carved columns in the stone.

The monument as partially restored by archaeologists at the beginning of the 20th century, is 35 meters high. When built, according to the architect, the base measured 35 meters in length, the first platform 12 meters in height, and the rotunda of 24 columns with its statue of an enthroned Augustus is 49 meters high.

Inscription

One of the stones of the tower, which Pliny the Elder transcribed, contained the names of the tribes. It reads:

"To the emperor Caesar, son of the deified Caesar, Augustus, Pontifex Maximus, hailed as Imperator for the 14th time, in his 17th year of tribunician power, the Senate and people of Rome [built this], in commemoration that, under his leadership and auspices, all the Alpine peoples, from the upper sea to the lower sea, were submitted to the Roman Empire. Conquered Alpine peoples:

"· The TRUMPILINI
· The CAMUNNI
· The VENOSTES
· The VENNONETES
· The ISARCI
· The BREUNI
· The GENAUNES
· The FOCUNATES
· The four VINDELICUS nations
· The COSUANETES
· The RUCINATES
· The LICATES

· The CATENATES
· The AMBISONTES
· The RUGUSCI
· The SUANETES
· The CALUCONES
· The BRIXENETES
· The LEPONTI
· The UBERI
· The NANTUATES
· The SEDUNI
· The VARAGRI
· The SALASSI

· The ACITAUONES
· The MEDULLI
· The UCENNI
· The CATURIGES
· The BRIGIANI
· The SOGIONTI
· The BRODIONTI
· The NEMALONI
· The EDENATES
· The VESUBIANI
· The VEAMINI
· The GALLITAE

· The TRIULLATI
· The ECDINI
· The VERGUNNI
· The EGUITURI
· The NEMATURI
· The ORATELLI
· The NERUSI
· The VELAUNI
· The SUETRI"

Later life

The monument originally served no military purpose and contained no fortress. Rather, it marked the boundary between Italy and Gallia Narbonensis, later pushed back to the Var. Between the 12th and 15th centuries, however, the Trophy did become a fortress, with locals building houses around its walls. In 1705, when war broke out between Savoy and France during the War of the Spanish Succession, Louis XIV ordered the destruction of all fortresses in the region, including this one. The partially destroyed Trophy then became a quarry and its stones were used, among other things, to build the nearby church of Saint-Michel.

Nearby Roman remains

The area surrounding the Trophy is rich with remnants of the Roman empire such as the famous Roman roads. The Trophy is situated on the Via Julia Augusta, named after the emperor Augustus, which is a continuation of the Via Aurelia which linked Vintimille to Cimiez (Nice). Various fountains within the territory of the communes of Beausoleil and Roquebrune-Cap-Martin are also said to be Roman.

Trophy of the Alps (more images)

Tropaeum Augusti (La Turbie)