Raetia
Contents
The Roman province of Raetia was bordered on the north by the Danube river, on the east by the Aenus river and Noricum, on the south by the Alps (with some parts south of them) and Italy (Transpadana and Venetia), on the west by Belgica. Noricum was thus located over the territory of present-day eastern Switzerland, southwest Germany, with small parts in Italy and Austria.
Originally, Raetia included only the area later known as Raetia Curiense, inhabited by the Raetians, a tribe of possible Etruscan origin. Later (end of I century A.D.), the region of Vindelicia was added to the province. Between the reigns of Augustus and Claudius, the province of Alpes Poeninae was also attached to Raetia, only to be removed by 45 BC and made autonomous together with Alpes Graiae. By the end of the 1st century, a part of the Agri Decumates, up to the Limes Germanicus, was added to Raetia. Other areas at times associated with Raetia shown in the map below have been treated in the Transpadana page.
Common remarks: the place-names have been put in the nominative case, an asterisk * means not attested, reconstructed form. The late place-names of probable Latin origin have not been included. The IE roots are in the form given by Pokorny's Indogermanische Wörterbuch. The links will be active when the single pages will be published, see the main page. For any comment, suggestion, email me.
Alpes Poeninae
Agaunum
- Place: Saint-Maurice, canton Valais/Wallis, Switzerland
- Name: Agaunum (late antiquity)
- Etymology: Commonly equated to Gaulish acaunon 'stone', which is from the IE root *ak'- 'sharp, stone'.
Octodurum
- Place: Martigny, canton Valais/Wallis, Switzerland
- Name: Octodurus (Caes.) Ectodurum (Ptol.) Octodurum (Peut.)
- Etymology: Traditionally interpreted as 'eight gates', but Delamarre (p. 209) has it segmented as *octu-duron 'winter market', from Gaulish *ougtu- 'cold, winter', reconstructed from Irish uacht (with Baltic cognates but IE root disputed), and duron 'market' (IE root *dhuer- 'door').
Poeninus m.
- Place: Grand-Saint-Bernard pass, canton Vaud/province Valle d'Aosta, Switzerland/Italy
- Name: Penninus m. (Peut.) Poeninus m. (Plin.)
- Etymology: Delamarre (p. 216) explains it as *poinina, -on 'domain of god Poininos', based on the theonym Poeninus found in inscriptions that he explains as *kwoini-no-s 'that of vengeance' (from the IE root *kwei-). The writing Penn- could have been influenced by Gaulish penno- 'head, peak'.
Pennolucos
- Place: Villeneuve, canton Vaud, Switzerland
- Name: Pennolucos (Peut.)
- Etymology: To be segmented as pennos lucos (Delamarre, p. 214) 'lake's head (end)', from Gaulish pennos 'head' (from the IE root *bend- 'spike, needle', although with an unclear phonetics) and locos 'lake', (from the IE root *laku-, again with unclear O grade).
Sedunum
- Place: Sion, canton Valais/Wallis, Switzerland
- Name: *Sedunum (?)
- Etymology: Clearly dependent on the etnonym Seduni, thus sedunon 'settlement of the Seduni'.
Tarnaiae
- Place: Massongex, canton Valais/Wallis, Switzerland
- Name: Tarnaiae (Peut.)
- Etymology: Unknown. Delamarre (p. 248) segments it as tar-naiae, where the first element tar- designates a crossing (from the IEE root *ter- 'to cross, transgress, stay'). Compare with Tarnasicum (Noricum) and Tarnantone (Noricum).
Viviscum
- Place: Vevey, canton Vaud, Switzerland
- Name: Vibiscum (It. Ant.) Viviscum (Peut.) Bibiscum (Rav.)
- Etymology: Explained (Delamarre, p. 275) as uiuiscon 'settlement of the Vivisci'.
Raetia Curiense
Clunia
- Place: Altenstadt, Feldkirch, state Voralberg, Austria
- Name: Clunia (Peut.)
- Etymology: Usually (Delamarre, p. 116) interpreted as a Gaulish *clounia 'grass', cognate of Irish cluain (from the IE root *klep- 'wet'), although other etymologies exist. Compare with Clunia (Tarraconensis).
Curia
- Place: Chur, canton Grabünden, Switzerland
- Name: Curia (It. Ant., Peut.)
- Etymology: Usually equated to the Celtic word *coria 'host, tribe', from the IE root *korio-, with the U, found only in continental Celtic placenames, possibly influenced by Latin curia 'a kind of assembly'.
Magia
- Place: Maienfeld, canton Grabünden, Switzerland
- Name: Magia (Peut.)
- Etymology: From Gaulish magos 'field', which reflects the IE root *meg'(h)- 'big', probably through a plural form magesa (Delamarre, p. 186).
Tarvesedum
- Place: possibly Campodolcino, province Sondrio, region Lombardia, Italy
- Name: Tarvesede (It. Ant.) Tarussedum (Peut.)
- Etymology: Seemingly a compound of Celtic tarvos 'bull'. Traditionally interpreted (A. Holder, p. 1741) as a domain name, from the personal name *Tarv-essedos '(who has a) chariot pulled by bulls'. But the second element could rather be *sedon and related to the name of the Seduni, see Sedunum, and thus with the IE root *sed- 'to sit'. The general meaning could then be 'settlement of the Bull' and does not have to be Gaulish. Compare also with Metlosedum (Narbonensis).
Vindelicia
Abodiacum
- Place: Epfach, Denklingen, province Oberbayern, state Bayern, Germany
- Name: Abudiacum (Ptol.)
- Etymology: Suffixed form derived from a personal name; either analysed as *ad boudi-ako- (Falileyev), where Boudios is probably a Celtic personal name ('victorious, hero', from Gaulish boudi- 'victory'), or from a different personal name Abudios (Greule).
Abusina
- Place: Eining, Neustadt and der Donau, province Niederbayern, state Bayern, Germany
- Name: Abusina (It. Ant.) Arusena (Peut.) Ausina (Not. Dign.)
- Etymology: Possibly related to the family of the IE root *ab- 'water, river', but (Delamarre, p. 39) the suffix is strange and could reflect a postponed adjective (*abu sena 'the old river'?). Alternatively (Greule) a river name *Abusa has been reconstructed.
Ambrae, *Ambra fl.
- Place: Schöngeising (Ambrae), river Ammer (Ambra fl.), province Oberbayern, state Bayern, Germany
- Name: Ambre (It. Ant.)
- Etymology: The placename reflects a Celtic hydronym ambra 'river', which is from the IE root *mebh-ro- 'wet, damp, water, clouds'.
Augusta Vindelicum
- Place: Augsburg, province Schwaben, state Bayern, Germany
- Name: Augusta (Ptol., It. Ant., Peut.)
- Etymology: A Roman name.
Bratananium
- Place: Gauting, province Oberbayern, state Bayern, Germany
- Name: Bratananium (Peut.)
- Etymology: It has been intepreted (Delamarre, p. 86; Greule) as 'domain of Bratanos', from a personal name *Brat-ano-s.
Brigantium
- Place: Bregenz, state Voralberg, Austria
- Name: Brigantium (Ptol., Peut.) Brigantia (It. Ant.)
- Etymology: The town of the Brigantes, Brixenetes, an attested Apline tribe (Troph. Alp.). Compare with Brigantium (Alpes Cottiae) in the same Celtic domain.
Businca fl.
- Place: possibly river Angerbach, province Niederbayern, state Bayern, Germany
- Name: Businca fl. (late antiquity)
- Etymology: Not a proveably Celtic hydronym (Greule).
Cambodunum
- Place: Kempten, province Schwaben, state Bayern, Germany
- Name: Cambodunum (Ptol., Peut.) Campodunum (It. Ant.) Cambidanum (Not. Dign.)
- Etymology: A clear Celtic compound name *cambo-dunon, where the second element is Gaulish dunon fortress (from the IE root *dheu-n- 'to reel, dissipate, blow'), while the first element *cambo- is a cognate of the IE root *(s)kamb- 'to curve, bend', with the overall meaning of 'fortress by the bend (of the river)' or 'crooked fortress'.
Coveliacae
- Place: Echelsbacher Bridge, Rottenbuch, province Oberbayern, state Bayern, Germany
- Name: Coveliacae (Peut.)
- Etymology: Because of the suffix -ako-, it has been interpreted (Delamarre, p. 127) as the 'domain of Covelios', from a personal name *Covelios that sounds Celtic. But others (Greule) prefer a derivation from Latin cubile 'bed', through a suffixed plural form *cubiliacae.
Esco
- Place: close to Marktoberdorf, province Schwaben, state Bayern, Germany
- Name: Escone (Peut.)
- Etymology: From a hydronym isca that would reflect the IE root *ueis- 'to flow, poison', or a Celtic form *ex-kon- of unknown meaning, or (Greule) as *Esoco from Gaulish esox 'salmon'.
Foetes
- Place: Füssen, province Schwaben, state Bayern, Germany
- Name: Foetes (Not. Dign.)
- Etymology: Probably from Latin fauces 'gorge', probably referring to the Lech gorge.
*Glana fl.
- Place: river Glonn, province Oberbayern, state Bayern, Germany
- Name: Clana (late antiquity)
- Etymology: A common Celtic hydronym, meaning 'pure, clear', derived from the IE root *g'hle 'to shine, green, gold, blue'.
Guntia, *Guntia fl.
- Place: river Günz (Guntia fl.) Günzburg (Guntia), province Schwaben, state Bayern, Germany
- Name: Guntia (It. Ant.)
- Etymology: Like the Celtic theonym Gontia, the hydronym is probably derived from the IE root *g'heu- 'to pour'.
*Ilara fl.
- Place: river Iller, province Schwaben, state Bayern, Germany
- Name: inferred from the survival of the name
- Etymology: Likely related with the IE root *ei-l- 'to go'.
Iovisura
- Place: Ohu, Essenbach, province Niederbayern, state Bayern, Germany
- Name: Iovisura (It. Ant.)
- Etymology: Haplology Iovis Isura 'the Isar('s crossing) of Juppiter', see Isara fl.
*Isara fl.
- Place: river Isar, province Niederbayern, state Bayern, Germany
- Name: Isara (late antiquity)
- Etymology: A common Celtic and "Old European" hydronym, derived from the IE root *eis- 'to move rapidly', meaning 'vigorous'. Compare with Isara fl. (Narbonensis) and Isara fl. (Lugdunensis).
Isinisca, *Isina fl.
- Place: Grosshelfendorf, Aying (Isinisca), river Isen (*Isina), province Oberbayern, state Bayern, Germany
- Name: Isiniscum (It. Ant.) Isumisca (Peut.) Isana fl. (late antiquity)
- Etymology: The hydronym is a clear cognate of the IE root *eis- 'to move rapidly' (Greule). The place name is formed with the adjectival suffix -isko- that is typically Celtic.
*Labara fl.
- Place: river Laaber, province Niederbayern, state Bayern, Germany
- Name: Lapara (late antiquity)
- Etymology: A clear Celtic hydronym (Greule, Delamarre, p. 169) meaning 'the chatty', from which an IE root has been reconstructed as *plab- 'to babble'.
*Licca fl.
- Place: river Lech, province Schwaben, state Bayern, Germany
- Name: Licca (late antiquity)
- Etymology: Explained (Greule) as a Celtic hydronym *wlikos from the IE root *wleikw- 'wet, damp', which is probably the same as *uelk-.
Masciacum
- Place: Matzen, Reich-im-Alpbachtal, state Tirol, Austria
- Name: Masciacum (It. Ant.)
- Etymology: Usually (Anreiter, Delamarre, p. 192) considered a praedial place name masciacon 'domain of Mas(u)cios', with a typically Celtic suffix -ako-.
Matreium
- Place: Matrei-am-Brenner, state Tirol, Austria
- Name: Matreium (Peut.)
- Etymology: Possibly to be compared with Matrica (Pannonia).
Navoa(e)
- Place: Eggenthal, province Schwaben, state Bayern, Germany
- Name: Navoae (Peut.)
- Etymology: Likely reconstructed as *nauia 'wetland, sump', from the IE root *sne- 'to flow, swim, damp' and a few Romance names designating wet areas.
Parthanum
- Place: Partenkirchen, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, province Oberbayern, state Bayern, Germany
- Name: Parthanum (It. Ant.) Tartenum (Peut.)
- Etymology: Tentatively explained (Delamarre, p. 214) as partanon 'domain of Partos', from an attested personal name Partus.
Pontes Tessenni
- Place: unknown, possibly close to Grossweil, province Oberbayern, state Bayern, Germany
- Name: Pontes Tessenios (It. Ant.)
- Etymology: The specification has been interpreted (Greule) as an adjective from the place name Tissa (Sicilia).
Rapis
- Place: Schwabmünchen, province Schwaben, state Bayern, Germany
- Name: Rapis (Peut.)
- Etymology: Unknown.
Castra Regina, *Reganus fl.
- Place: Regensburg (Regina), river Regen (Reganus fl.), province Oberpflaz, state Bayern, Germany
- Name: Reginum (It. Ant., Peut.) Castra Regina (Not. Dign.), *Reganus fl. (inferred)
- Etymology: The hydronym is likely (Delamarre, p. 219; Greule) derived from the IE root *reg'- 'damp, rain', which however does not seem to have cognates in the Celtic languages.
Scarbia
- Place: Scharnitz, state Tirol, Austria
- Name: Scarbia (Peut.)
- Etymology: Likely a participle with the suffix -ant- from the IE root *(s)kerbh- 'to turn, curve'. Compare to Scarbantia (Pannonia).
Sorviodurum
- Place: Straubing, province Niederbayern, state Bayern, Germany
- Name: Sorviodurum (It. Ant.)
- Etymology: A clearly Celtic compound name with the second element duron 'forum' and a first element that has been intepreted as a personal name *Sorvios (Delamarre, p. 241) or a hydronym *Sur-vios (Greule).
Submuntorium
- Place: Burghöfe, Mertingen, province Schwaben, state Bayern, Germany
- Name: Summuntorium (It. Ant.) Submuntorium (Not. Dign.)
- Etymology: A Latin name, 'under the mountain(s)'.
Tasgetium
- Place: Vor der Brugg, Eschenz, canton Thurgau, Switzerland
- Name: Taxgaetium (Ptol.) Tasg... (inscr.)
- Etymology: From a personal name Tasgos or Tasgetios (Delamare, p. 249) meaning 'badger'.
Teriola
- Place: Zirl, state Tirol, Austria
- Name: Teriola (Not. Dign.)
- Etymology: Possibly the name of a mountain pass, from the IE root *ter- 'to cross, transgress, to stay'.
Turum
- Place: close to Dorfen, province Oberbayern, state Bayern, Germany
- Name: Turum (It. Ant.)
- Etymology: Interpreted (Delamarre, p. 256) as 'domain of Turos', from the personal name Turos. Compare with Turobriga (Betica).
Urusa
- Place: possibly Raisting, province Oberbayern, state Bayern, Germany
- Name: Urusa (Peut.)
- Etymology: Unclear.
Vallatum
- Place: Manching, province Oberbayern, state Bayern, Germany
- Name: Vallatum (It. Ant.)
- Etymology: Likely a Latin name 'closed by a wall' (Greule), possibly with the concurrence of a Celtic personal name Vallatos (Delamarre, p. 257).
Veldidena
- Place: Wilten, Innsbruck, state Tirol, Austria
- Name: Veldidena (It. Ant.) Vetonina (Peut.)
- Etymology: A Celtic compound name, possibly a personal name (Delamarre, p. 261). The first element is found in a few Gaulish personal names and could derive from an extension *ueld- of the IE root *uel(e)- 'to turn, wind, round'. The second element is likely related to the IE root *deie- 'to swing, move', through a Celtic adjective *dena 'quick'. Overall, it could be 'the domain of Veldidenos' or a hydronym 'quick spinner'.
Vemania
- Place: Burkwang, Isny im Allgäu, province Tübingen, state Baden-Württemberg, Germany
- Name: Vemania (It. Ant., Peut., Not. Dign.)
- Etymology: Derived (Delamarre, p. 262) from the Celtic personal name Vemanios.
Agri Decumates
Celeusum
- Place: Pförring, province Oberbayern, state Bayern, Germany
- Name: Celeusum (Peut.)
- Etymology: Tentatively (Greule) related to Gaulish celicnon 'tower', related to the IE root *kel- 'to tower, be high, hill'.
Clarenna
- Place: Donnstetten, Römerstein, province Tübingen, state Baden-Württenberg, Germany
- Name: Clarenna (Peut.)
- Etymology: Tentatively explained (Delamarre, p. 115) from a Celtic stem *claro- 'table, board' maybe referring to a tavern.
Iciniacum
- Place: Theilenhofen, province Mittelfranken, state Bayern, Germany
- Name: Iciniacum (Peut.)
- Etymology: As iciniacon 'domaine of Icinios' from a personal name (Delamarre, p. 163; Greule).
Losodica
- Place: Munningen, province Schwaben, state Bayern, Germany
- Name: Losodica (Peut.)
- Etymology: Explained (Delamarre, p. 181) as 'domains of *Lossodios', from a reconstructed Celtic personal name.
Conclusions
The main linguistic stratum appearing in Rhaetian toponymy is a Celtic language, virtually indistinguishable from Gaulish. Similarly to in neighbouring Noricum, his stratum is recognizable for typical appellatives and suffixes.
Like most of the European hydronymy, an Old-European A-language emerges from hydronyms particularly. Likely, this stratum is older than the Celtic one, at least in some parts of the region.
Although the province takes its name from the tribe of the Rhaetians, which were described by ancient authors as being of Etruscan descent, virtually no placenames with an Etruscan etymology could be found. This is possibly due to the fact that the "true" Rhaetia (the Curiense) was small compared with Vindelicia and few placenames have been recorded for such area.