CHAP. 5. (4.)—OF THE PROVINCE OF GALLIA NARBONENSIS.
That part of the Gallias which is washed by the inland sea1 is called the province of [Gallia] Narbonensis2, having formerly borne the name of Braccata3. It is divided from Italy by the river Varus4, and by the range of the Alps, the great safeguards of the Roman Empire. From the remainder of Gaul, on the north, it is separated by the mountains Cebenna5 and Jura6. In the cultivation of the soil, the manners and civilization of the inhabitants, and the extent of its wealth, it is surpassed by none of the provinces, and, in short, might be more truthfully described as a part of Italy than as a province. On the coast we have the district of the Sordones7, and more inland that of the Consuarani8. The rivers are the Tecum and the Vernodubrum9. The towns are Illiberis10, the scanty remains of what was formerly a great city, and Ruscino11, a town with Latian rights. We then come to the river Atax12, which flows from the Pyrenees, and passes through the Rubrensian Lake13, the town of Narbo Martius, a colony of the tenth legion, twelve miles distant from the sea, and the rivers Arauris14 and Liria15. The towns are otherwise but few in number, in consequence of the numerous lakes16 which skirt the sea-shore. We have Agatha17, formerly belonging to the Massilians, and the district of the Volcæ Tectosages18; and there is the spot where Rhoda19, a Rhodian colony, formerly stood, from which the river takes its name of Rhodanus20; a stream by far the most fertilizing of any in either of the Gallias. Descending from the Alps and rushing through lake Lemanus21, it carries along with it the sluggish Arar22, as well as the torrents of the Isara and the Druentia23, no less rapid than itself. Its two smaller mouths are called Libica24, one being the Spanish, and the other the Metapinian mouth; the third and largest is called the Massiliotic25. There are some authors who state that there was formerly a town called Heraclea26 at the mouth of the Rhodanus or Rhone.Beyond this are the Canals27 leading out of the Rhone, a famous work of Caius Marius, and still distinguished by his name; the Lake of Mastramela28, the town of Maritima29 of the Avatici, and, above this, the Stony Plains30, memorable for the battles of Hercules; the district of the Anatilii31, and more inland, that of the Desuviates32 and the Cavari. Again, close upon the sea, there is that of the Tricorii33, and inland, there are the Tricolli34, the Vocontii35, and the Segovellauni, and, after them, the Allobroges36.
On the coast is Massilia, a colony of Phocæan37 Greeks, and a federate38 city; we then have the Promontory of Zao39, the port of Citharista40, and the district of the Camatullici41; then the Suelteri42, and above them the Verrucini43. Again, on the coast, we find Athenopolis44, belonging to the Massilians, Forum Julii45 Octavanorum, a colony, which is also called Pacensis and Classica, the river Argenteus46, which flows through it, the district of the Oxubii47 and that of the Ligauni48; above whom are the Suetri49, the Quariates50 and the Adunicates51. On the coast we have Antipolis52, a town with Latian rights, the district of the Deciates, and the river Varus, which proceeds from Mount Cema, one of the Alps.
The colonies in the interior are Arelate Sextanorum53, Beterræ Septimanorum54, and Arausio55 Secundanorum; Valentia56 in the territory of the Cavari, and Vienna57 in that of the Allobroges. The towns that enjoy Latian rights are Aquæ Sextiæ58 in the territory of the Saluvii, Avenio59 in that of the Cavari, Apta Julia60 in that of the Volgientes, Alebece61 in that of the Reii Apollinares, Alba62 in that of the Helvi, and Augusta63 in that of the Tricastini, Anatilia, Aeria64, the Bormanni65, the Comaci, Cabellio66, Carcasum67 in the territory of the Volcæ Tectosages, Cessero68, Carpentoracte69 in the territory of the Memini, the Cenicenses70, the Cambolectri71, surnamed the Atlantici, Forum72 Voconi, Glanum Livi73, the Lutevani74, also called the Foroneronienses75, Nemausum76 in the territory of the Arecomici, Piscenæ77, the Ruteni78, the Sanagenses79, the Tolosani80 in the territory of the Tectosages on the confines of Aquitania, the Tasconi81, the Tarusconienses82, the Umbranici83, Vasio84 and Lucus Augusti85, the two capitals of the federate state of the Vocontii. There are also nineteen towns of less note, as well as twenty-four belonging to the people of Nemausum. To this list86 the Emperor Galba added two tribes dwelling among the Alps, the Avantici87 and the Bodiontici, to whom belongs the town of Dinia88. According to Agrippa the length of the province of Gallia Narbonensis is 370 miles, and its breadth 24889.