Geography

​Now, the land of the Salassi lies for the most part in a deep valley, with mountains enclosing the place on both sides, but a certain part of their territory also extends to the towering peaks above. Therefore, for those who cross the mountains from Italy, the route is through the said valley. Then the road splits into two: one runs through the so-called Poeninus, which is impassable for wheeled vehicles at the heights of the Alps, and the other, through the Centrones, lies more to the west. The country of the Salassi also has gold mines, which the Salassi held in former times when they were powerful, just as they were also masters of the passes. And the river Durias contributed most to their mining for the washing of gold; wherefore, by splitting the water into canals in many places, they used to empty the common bed. This was advantageous to them for their gold-hunting, but it distressed those who cultivated the plains below them, who were deprived of irrigation, since the river was able to water the country because its bed was situated higher up. From this cause, there were continuous wars between the two tribes. But when the Romans got the upper hand, the Salassi were driven out of the gold mines and the country, yet, holding the mountains, they still sold the water to the publicani who had contracted for the gold mines; and with these too there were always disputes because of the greed of the publicani. Thus it happened that those of the Romans who were always eager to hold command and were sent to these places had an abundance of pretexts for making war. Until recent times, therefore, sometimes being attacked and sometimes making peace, they nevertheless remained powerful in their war against the Romans, and did much harm to those who crossed the mountains through their territory, in accordance with their predatory habit; indeed, they even exacted a drachma per man from Decimus Brutus when he was fleeing from Mutina; and Messala, when wintering near them, paid them the price for wood, both for fuel and for the elm-javelins used in gymnastics. And these men once even plundered money belonging to Caesar and hurled cliffs down upon the camps under the pretext that they were making roads or bridging rivers. Later, however, Augustus utterly subdued them and sold them all as spoils, carrying them to Eporedia, a Roman colony which they had founded wishing it to be a guard against the Salassi, but the people there were able to hold out only a little while, until the tribe was wiped out. Of the rest of the population, then, thirty-six thousand were counted, and of the fighting men eight thousand; and Terentius Varro, the general who had subdued them, sold them all under the spear. And Caesar, sending three thousand Romans, founded the city of Augusta in the place where Varro had encamped; and now all the neighboring country enjoys peace, as far as the highest passes of the mountain.

​Next, the parts of the mountains towards the east and those turning towards the south are held by the Raeti and Vindelici, who border on the Helvetii and Boii; for they lie close to their plains. Now, the Raeti extend as far as the part of Italy above Verona and Comum. And the Raetian wine, which is thought not to fall short of those praised among the Italian wines, is produced on the foothills of these mountains. They also extend as far as the regions through which the Rhine flows; to this tribe belong both the Lepontii and the Camuni. The Vindelici and Norici occupy the outer mountain slopes for the most part, together with the Breuni and Genauni, the latter being already Illyrians. All these used to overrun both the neighboring parts of Italy and the lands of the Helvetii, Sequani, Boii, and Germans. Most fierce among the Vindelici were reckoned the Licattii, Clautenatii, and Vennones, and among the Raeti, the Rucantii and Cotuantii. The Estiones also belong to the Vindelici, as do the Brigantii, and their cities are Brigantium and Cambodunum, and Damasia, which is as it were the acropolis of the Licattii. Concerning the cruelty of these plunderers towards the Italians, a story of this kind is told, that whenever they capture a village or city, they not only slaughter all the men of military age, but also go so far as to kill even the male infants, and not even stopping there, they also kill all the pregnant women whom the soothsayers declare to be carrying male children.