The Enigma of Via Claudia Augusta
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(D) THE ENIGMA OF VIA CLAUDIA AUGUSTA On a par with the Via Postumia, the Via mystery, as the itinerary is not reported either Claudia Augusta was essential to the Marca in the Tabula Peutingeriana or any other ancient Trevigiana and still represents a project of map or itinerary, although place names provide trasnational importance. Planned around us with a series of clues. In any case, in the light 15 BC by Druso Maggiore, in the midst of a of documented historical and archaeological military campaign and built by the Emperor studies, we currently have no clear idea of Claudius (son of Druso) in 46-47 AD to connect the original route, although it would appear the Padania Plain and, above all, Altino to that a number of secondary routes were built the shores of the Danube, it was 350 Roman adjoining the main road. miles (approximately 518 km) long, or so the The oldest suggestion, which was published honorary milestone found in Cesiomaggiore in 1789, was formulated by Count Aurelio northeast of Feltre claims. Guarnirei Ottoni: it envisaged a stretch from 38 The road’s route is for certain aspects a Altino to Oderzo and then Serravalle (Vittorio Cippus or Milepost of Cesiomaggiore Fadalto Nove Botteon Sonego Luca Montaner PROVINZ Osigo Rugolo Mezzavilla PORDENONE Savassa Bassa Fregona SarmedePalu' Breda Fratte Villa di Villa Silvella Serravalle Anzano Cappella Maggiore Costa Pinidello Cordignano Pine' Longhere Olarigo VITTORIO VENETO Ponte della Muda Francenigo Revine LagoBorgo Villa San Martino Orsago Ceneda Alta Bibano di Sotto San Giacomo di Veglia Salvarotonda Portobuffole' Nogarolo Ceneda Bassa Godega di Bibano S. Maria Colle Umberto Sant'urbano Gaiarine Livenza Brische PROVINZ Lago Colmaggiore Cozzuolo Mure Passo San Boldo Pianzano Baver Carpesica Meduna Formeniga Menare' San Fior Campomolino Fae' ALTINORigole NORTH BELLUNO 18 Caiada Tarzo ScomigoThe first stretch of the probableRoverbasso course di Livenza Sotto Croda Levada 1 Altino (archaeologicalNavole' area) EAST Borgo Chiesa Cornare Prapian Manzana Vallonto 2 via Claudia Augusta San Giovanni di Motta Praderadego SollerD Oglianoof the Via ClaudiaCapo di Sotto Augusta can be Basalghelle Tovena Arfanta Ponte Maset Mansue' Borgo Marconi Codogne' 3 Quarto d’Altino Lorenzaga 17 Pecol Corbanese followed from Altino to Callalta and Intrivigne Mura Gai Cosniga Fontanelle RONCADE Gorgo della Chiesa Motta di Livenza 16 from the River Piave Cimavillato Valdobbiadene Villanova Costa di La' Bagnolo San Vendemiano 4 Cison di Valmarino San Pietro di Feletto LutranoLagozzo (via Cl. Augusta) Guizza Monticano Gorgo Dei Molini WEST Rua and Segusino.Borghetto Other routes are partially Molinetto delle Crode Visna' 5 Lagozzo (via Cl. Augusta) Malintrada Valmareno 6 Fratta SOUTH C Refrontolo visible in the sites indicated in the key. Villa-castle Giustinian CONEGLIANO Ramera Soffratta Follina Farro' SILEA ODERZO Velapiccola 15 Pedeguarda Collalbrigo S.Maria Mareno di Piave Vazzola Colfrancui Cavalier S. Anastasio La Bella 7 Nerbon (route of thePiavon via Cl. Augusta) Solighetto S. Michele Premaor Solighetto Campagnola Borgo Bellussi Castello Pare' SAN BIAGIO DI CALLALTA Chiarano Cessalto Miane Rocchetta Bocca di Strada Rai Tempio Campea Soligo Pieve di Soligo Crevada 8 Route of the via Claudia Augusta Santa Maria di Campagna Feltre Vergoman Fossalta Maggiore Tezze CARBONERA Busco Santa Lucia San Polo di Piave Ormelle Combai Farra di Soligo Barbisano Susegana di Piave 9 Villa Tiepolo Passi Collalto San Giorgio Levada Boschet San Michele di Piave 10 Villa Valier-Loredan (Vascon)San Nicolo Posmon Castelletto Falze' S. Maria di Piave Cimadolmo Guizza 11 Crossroads between theCandole Via Cl. Augu- di Piave Mercatelli Colfosco Col San Martino Sernaglia Roncadellesta and Via PostumiaVigonovo Milies Guia della Battaglia Ponte della Priula Campo Pietra Piazza Rovere Stabiuzzo NERVESANegrisia PonteDELLA di Piave BATTAGLIA S. Stefano Santa Croce Campobernardo Stramare Giussin 13 B Salgareda Bidasio 12 Ca’ Tonet Barbozza Moriago della Battaglia C Piave Piave Mosnigo Nervesa della Battaglia Prato SUSEGANA Saccol Candelu' Bocca Callalta Colbertaldo Sovilla D Fagare' Zenson Segusino Santi Angeli 13 Roman bridges (Colfosco) VALDOBBIADENE Lovadina Saletto di Piave 12 Maserada Candelù San Bartolomeo Bosco Santa Mama Bavaria Spresiano VALDOBBIADENE S. Vito San Giovanni Sul Piave Funer Vidor Arcade 14 Probable route of the via Cl. Augusta Bigolino Carlot Giavera del Montello 11 Le Marche B Visnadello Varago Breda di Piave FOLLINA Fener Cavrie' 14 Piave 15 CistercianRovare' Abbey Rive Covolo Cusignana Vascon Pero Pralongo Guizzetta 16 Praderadego Pass Pederobba Vitipan Onigo Levada Selva del Montello Povegliano San Biagio di Callalta San Pietro Novello Ciano Catena 10 San Giacomo Granigo MONTELLOSanta Maria Vacil CISON DI VALMARINOMonastier Curogna S. Urbano Villorba San Martino Virago Cornuda Crocetta Bel Giardino 17 Borgo Cison Valmarino and Brandolini Castle Lancenigo Pezzan Mignagola Borgo Verde S. Vettore del Montello Volpago del Montello Santandra' 18 S. Boldo pass Carita' Spercenigo Vettorazzi Castelli La Valle Camalo' Barrucchella Caonada Venegazzu' San Floriano Vallio Hypothetical courseCastelcies of the Pra De Roda Pederiva Borgo di Fontane Biban Carbonera Olmi PROVIZ Cavaso del Tomba Biadene Paderno 7 Biancade Via ClaudiaCaniezza Augusta Guarda Bassa Ponzano Fontane Castello 8 VENEDING Monfumo Maser Merlengo Veneto 9 Roncade Signoressa Nerbon 6 A PossagnoT. Mommsen - G. Rosada Postioma Silea Ca' Tron Coste Santa Bona San Cipriano Castelcucco Caerano di San Marco Falze' Lanzago Cendon Franceniga Casonetto San Gaetano Musano TREVISO Cima Grappa B FiettaA. De Bon - V. Galliazzo MONTEBELLUNA Sile Casier S. Elena 5 ASOLO Porcellengo Villaggio I.A.C.P. Madonna della Salute Trevignano Castagnole Crespignaga Lughignano 4 C A. AlpagoPaderno Novello Pagnano Canton Bagaggiolo Crespano A 3 del Grappa Casella d'Asolo Dosson Musestre del Grappa Busta Sant'Apollinare Paese D P.S. EulaliaFraccaroFonte Alto Sala Frescada Conscio Casale Sul Sile Villaraspa Padernello Cassanego Altivole Caselle Pezzan QUARTO One' San Trovaso D’ALTINO 39 Edifizio Barcon ALTINO 1 Borso del Sopracastello Villa d'Asolo Grappa Le Grazie Borgo Verde Bonisiolo Fonte San Vito Fossalunga Istrana 2 Lauro di Altivole Quinto di Treviso Liedolo Villanova Preganziol Semonzo Sile San Zenone Degli Ezzelini Carpenedo Spineda Fanzolo Vedelago Villanova Zerman Riese Pio X Ospedaletto Santa Cristina Morgano Ca' Rainati Cavasagra Sambughe' Boschetta Musone San Floriano Sant'alberto Zero Branco Valla' Albaredo Badoere ZeroCampocroce PROVINZ Loria Scandolara Mogliano Veneto Poggiana Casacorba Bessica Salvarosa Vedelago Mazzocco VICENZA Salvatronda Bella Venezia Ramon CASTELFRANCO VENETO Ghetto Borgo Campagnola San Marco Marocco Villarazzo Campigo Castello Castelminio di Godego Castione Treville Resana Sant'andrea Oltre Muson PROVINZ PADUA Veneto) and on to Belluno before proceeding rationalistic key by Professor Guido Rosada, to Cesiomaggiore and Feltre. Later, in 1863, of the University of Padua. According to the German scholar Theodor Mommsen was this version, the Via Claudia Augusta ran a more inclined to believe that the road went short distance from the banks of the River from Altino to Treviso and then straight on to Sile. It continued through the pleasant fluvial Feltre. The same hypothesis was taken up again landscape, through what is now Casale sul Sile in 1916 by Konrad Miller who also provided an and Lughignano (where the later 15th century illustration, in which the Via Claudia Augusta Villa Barbaro-Gabbianelli overlooks the river). formed an important crossroads with the Via Having reached Casier, a town along the Sile Postumia at Postioma on the Feltrina road where it is thought that cheese was once before proceeding towards Montebelluna, produced or sold, the road must have headed, Cavaso and Feltre, following a route that was through the town of Sant’Antonino, towards adopted in 1926 by Walther Cartellieri (with Treviso entering the city through an ancient the exception of its initial portion, which went gate that still goes by the name of Altinia, through Altino, Lagozzo, Nerbon and from here recalling the connection with the Riviera city. “undoubtedly” on to Treviso). On leaving Porta Santi Quaranta, the road Most recently, in 1999, the route passing followed the straight line of the current Feltrina through Treviso suggested on several road, which in ancient times also constituted 40 occasions, was considered and updated in a Roman pavement (Altino) one of the main hinges of centuriation in the municipality of Treviso, meeting the town of Postioma, a name that relates to the most important and oldest main road in northern Italy, which as we know, in 148 BC, served to connect Genoa and Aquileia. In actual fact, at this point, state road 348 crosses the Via Postumia, as is still indicated on maps and that in this Veneto stretch of its course, is perfectly preserved and used by intense motor traffic. By continuing north, one comes to Montebelluna, which occupies a strategic place, not far from the southwestern slopes of Montello and the point where the Piave meets the plain. At the same time, it lies at the easternmost point of state road 248 that skirts the southern slopes of the foothills between the Piave and the Brenta and that since ancient times, was a route used also during invasions from 41 Archeological finds - Museum (Montebelluna) the exterior, as suggested by the name believes that the Via Claudia Augusta, which Schiavonesca