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Q: Geography of Ancient Rome ( Answered 5 out of 5 stars,   0 Comments )
Question  
Subject: Geography of Ancient Rome
Category: Reference, Education and News > General Reference
Asked by: iggulden-ga
List Price: $2.00
Posted: 25 Jun 2002 10:10 PDT
Expires: 25 Jul 2002 10:10 PDT
Question ID: 32968
What did the Romans call the Apennines and Alps?
Answer  
Subject: Re: Geography of Ancient Rome
Answered By: tehuti-ga on 25 Jun 2002 10:53 PDT
Rated:5 out of 5 stars
 
Hello iggulden,

The Roman name for the Apennines was Appenninus and it was used in the
singular.  The greek historian Polybius (204—122 B.C.), was the first
author to use this name for the whole mountain chain, including the
Maritime Alps, as far as Marseilles. Other classical authors also used
the name for the whole chain.

from: Encyclopedia Britannica, 1911 editon at
http://17.1911encyclopedia.org/A/AP/APENNINES.htm

The name for the Alps was Alpes (plural), as can be seen in this
extract from the Gallic Wars "Cum in Italiam proficisceretur Caesar,
Ser. Galbam cum legione XII et parte equitatus in Nantuates, Veragros
Sedunosque misit, qui a finibus Allobrogum et lacu Lemanno et flumine
Rhodano ad summas Alpes pertinent. Causa mittendi fuit quod iter per
Alpes, quo magno cum periculo magnisque cum portoriis mercatores ire
consuerant, patefieri volebat."
http://digilander.iol.it/jackdanielspl/Cesare/gallico/liber_3.htm

which translates as: "When Caesar was setting out for Italy, he sent
Servius Galba with the twelfth legion and part of the cavalry, against
the Nantuates, the Veragri, and Seduni, who extend from the
territories of the Allobroges, and the lake of Geneva, and the River
Rhone to the top of the Alps. The reason for sending him was, that he
desired that the pass along the Alps, through which [the Roman]
merchants had been accustomed to travel with great danger, and under
great imposts, should be opened."
http://classics.mit.edu/Caesar/gallic.3.3.html

Clarification of Answer by tehuti-ga on 25 Jun 2002 10:56 PDT
Sorry, I forgot to add that the Gallic Wars was written by Julius Caesar!
iggulden-ga rated this answer:5 out of 5 stars
Very useful. Thank you.

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