Gallia Lugdunensis


Gallia Lugdunensis was a province of the Roman Empire in what is now the modern country of France, part of the Celtic territory of Gaul formerly known as Celtica. It is named after its capital Lugdunum, possibly Roman Europe's major city west of Italy, and a major imperial mint. Outside Lugdunum was the Sanctuary of the Three Gauls, where representatives met to celebrate the cult of Rome and Augustus.

History

In De Bello Gallico describing his conquest of Gaul, Julius Caesar distinguished between provincia nostra in the south of Gaul, which already was a Roman province in his time, and the three other parts of Gaul: the territories of the italics=no, of the italics=no, and of the italics=no also known as the italics=no. The territory of the Galli extended from the rivers Seine and Marne in the north-east, which formed the boundary with italics=no, to the river Garonne in the south-west, which formed the border with italics=no. Under Augustus, Gallia Lugdunensis was created by reducing in size the territory of the Gauls : the portion between the river Loire and the Garonne was given to italics=no, and central-eastern portions were given to the new province of italics=no. The map shows the extent after these reductions. The date of the creation of italics=no is under discussion, whether between 27 and 25 BC or between 16 and 13 BC, during Augustus' visits to Gaul.
It was an imperial province, deemed important enough to be governed by an imperial legate. Under the Tetrarchy, it was first divided into two, italics=no, with its capital at Lyon, and italics=no, with its capital at Rouen. This division is recorded in the Verona List. Both new provinces belonged to the diocese of Gaul, alongside the Helvetic, Belgian and German provinces.
Constantine I divided the provinces again. italics=no, with its capital at Sens, was split off from Prima, while italics=no, with its capital at Tours, was separated from italics=no. According to the Notitia Dignitatum, Prima was governed by a consularis, while the other three were governed by a praeses. All the provinces were gradually overrun by invading Franks and Burgundians during the 5th century. What was left of the provinces effectively ceased to exist in AD 486/487 when the Roman general Syagrius, who controlled italics=no and italics=no, was defeated by the Franks.
The cities and castra of the four provinces are listed in the late 4th-century Notitia Galliarum by their ethnic titles. The castrum of Mâcon is a later addition to the Notitia. They are listed here with their conventional short names and their modern names:
  • Lugdunensis Prima
  • #Metropolis civitas Lugdunensium
  • #Civitas Aeduorum
  • #Civitas Lingonum
  • #Castrum Cabillonense
  • #Castrum Matisconense
  • Lugdunensis Secunda
  • #Metropolis civitas Rotomagensium
  • #Civitas Baiocassium
  • #Civitas Abrincatum
  • #Civitas Ebroicorum
  • #Civitas Saiorum
  • #Civitas Lexoviorum
  • #Civitas Constantia
  • Lugdunensis Tertia
  • #Metropolis civitas Turinorum
  • #Civitas Cenomannorum
  • #Civitas Redonum
  • #Civitas Andecavorum
  • #Civitas Namnetum
  • #Civitas Coriosolitum
  • #Civitas Venetum
  • #Civitas Osismorum
  • #Civitas Diablintum
  • Lugdunensis Senonia
  • #Metropolis civitas Senonum
  • #Civitas Carnotum
  • #Civitas Autisiodorum
  • #Civitas Tricassium
  • #Civitas Aurelianorum
  • #Civitas Parisiorum
  • #Civitas Melduorum

Governors