VIENNE CIVITAS

Vienne has been selected by Roberto Amati in relation to the real history of european integration, then enlisted in the CITY OR CIVITAS category, accompanied by own fact SHEET useful to the comprehension, completed of historical MAPS AND IMAGES or with a direct linking to the related Blog contents dedicated to the entire history of european integration and the future of Europe.

Vienne is one of the most ancient cities of the history of European integration, signed in great part by Christianity. The Civitas Vienne was founded in 47 BC by Romans at the confluence of the Gère and Rhône rivers during the conquering war for Provence, to populate the Colonia Vienna inhabited by the Celts Allobroges tribe and was one of the earliest Christian communities. For its strategic position and natural communication hub, Vienne was at the crossing point of two main roman ways: the Flavia Way starting in Xanten and passing through the civitas of Cologne, Trier, Metz, Chalon-sur-Saône, Lyon before to end in Arles; the Helvetica Way starting from Piacenza and connecting Italy with the Gaul provinces by ending in Vienne.

Within the reform of Augustus (see Roman Empire), Vienne was the capital of the Gallia Viennese province and obtained the building of an amphitheatre, the Ancient Theatre, the Temple of Augustus and Livia, the aqueduct, which are still visibles today. With the reform of Constantine I (see Christian Empire), Vienne became part of the Septem Provinciae Diocesi starting the evangelization of Gallia and Germany provinces and becoming an archibishoptric seat that hosted many Church councils in rivalty with the near Lyon.

At the falling of Western Roman Empire, the city was included in the Burgundian Regna founded in 461 AD and involved in the Arian eresy, then persecuted by the Catholics Church of Rome and after the conquering of Franks become part of the Frankish Kingdom of Burgundy but frequently sacked by Lombards and Moors. With the renovatio imperii of Charlemagne the city was included in the Kingdom of Arles under the possessions of the Welfen dinasty. At the extinction of that family, their kingdom were inherited by the emperor of Reich and under Federick I "Barbarossa" regained clerical prominence, confirmed Vienne as principal archibishopric seat on the routes from Mediterranean sea to the Northern Europe. Only in 15th century AD Vienne passed under the control of the France kingdom, by following its destiny until today.

In Modern era, Vienne became a centre for freight transport to the textile and metallurgy industries, which took advantage of the water power in the Gère valley, still a Catholics reference and famous tourist destination thanks to its roman remains, the most ancient abbeys and romanesque churches in France of Saint Peter and Saint André en Bas, The Gothic former cathedral of Saint Maurice and the legendary Gallo-Roman Pyramid of Pilatus. Today Vienne is a medium size town in the east of France, included of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, whose patron is Saint Ado an important bishop ot he city able to deal with Carolingian emperors.

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