Although I could not look up the pass (closed street), I publish this report under this title. This pass and the places on both sides was the reason for my stay.

The Summus Poeninus was the shortest connection between Rome and the Rhine, or rather Gallia. Under Gaius Iulius Caesar's legate Galba the conquest of the Big St. Bernhard in the year 47 BC failed. The Aosta valley was conquered in the year 25 BC. Obviously the pass and the Wallis was added not before 16/15 BC to the roman territory.

On this occasion was set up in the year 25 BC the Colonia Augusta Praetoria (Aosta). The most important place on the other side, Forum Claudii Vallensium (Martigny), was set up only in AD 47, instead of a Celtic place.

Shortly after this the Wallis was split off the province Raetia. All regions around the Small (Alpis Graia) and Big St. Bernhard (Alpis Poenina) were combined in a new province, Alpes Graiae et Poeninae. Capital became Axima (Aime-en-Tarantaise). This province continued to exist also after the division of the provinces in the late empire.

Top