Geography

​After the Salyes, the Albieis, the Albioeci, and the Vocontii inhabit the northern parts of the mountains. The Vocontii extend as far as the Allobroges, having in the depth of their mountainous country remarkable valleys, not inferior to those which they possess. Now, the Allobroges and the Ligurians are placed under the governors who arrive in Narbonitis, but the Vocontii, just as we said of the Volcae around Nemausus, are ordered by themselves. Of the Ligurians between the Varus and Genua, those on the sea are on the same footing as the Italians, but to those in the mountains a certain prefect of the equestrian class is sent, just as to others of the complete barbarians.

​After the Vocontii come the Iconii and the Tricorii, and after them the Medulli, who possess the highest peaks; indeed, they say that the steepest height of these has an ascent of one hundred stadia, and from there again the descent to the boundaries of Italy is of the same distance. Above, in certain hollow places, a large lake is formed, and there are two sources not far from each other, from one of which flows the torrent-like river Druentias, which rushes down to the Rhone, and the Durias in the opposite direction; for it joins the Padus after being carried down through the country of the Salassi into Celtic territory inside the Alps. From the other source, much lower than these places, the Padus itself rises, abundant and swift, and as it proceeds it becomes larger and gentler; for it receives its increase from many rivers when it is already in the plains and widens; by its spreading, therefore, it draws off and weakens its current; and it empties into the Adriatic Sea, having become the largest of the rivers in Europe except the Ister. The Medulli lie mostly above the confluence of the Isar with the Rhone.

​On the other parts of the said mountainous region which incline towards Italy, dwell the Taurini, a Ligurian tribe, and other Ligurians. Among these is also the land of the so-called Donnus and that of Cottius. After them and the Padus are the Salassi; and above them, on the peaks, the Centrones, the Catoriges, the Varagri, the Nantuatae, and Lake Lemenna, through which the Rhone is carried, and the source of the river. Not far from these, nor from the sources of the Rhine, is Mount Adulas, from which flows both the Rhine towards the north, and the Aduas in the opposite direction, emptying into Lake Larius near Comum. Above Comum, which is situated at the foot of the Alps, are settled, on the one hand, the Raeti and Vennones, inclining towards the east, and on the other hand, the Lepontii, Tridentini, Stoni, and several other small tribes, which in former times held Italy, being predatory and destitute. But now some have been destroyed and others completely civilized, so that the passes through them over the mountain, which were formerly few and difficult to cross, are now numerous, safe from the inhabitants, and easy to traverse, as far as possible, because of the construction. For Augustus Caesar, in addition to the subduing of the robbers, added the construction of roads as far as was possible; for it is not possible everywhere to force nature because of the immense rocks and precipices, some towering above the road and others falling away below, so that even a slight step outside involves inescapable danger, the fall being into bottomless chasms. And the road is so narrow in some parts of it as to cause vertigo both to those traveling on foot and to the beasts of burden unaccustomed to it; but the native beasts carry the loads safely. Neither, then, are these things curable, nor are the immense slabs of ice sliding down from above, capable of cutting off an entire caravan and sweeping them down together into the chasms below. For many slabs lie upon one another, ice being formed upon ice of crystalline snow, and those on the surface always easily detaching themselves from those within before being completely melted in the sun.