Provence

Sources from old books

1635. Historia mundi: or Mercator's atlas. London. by Gerhard Mercator.

PROVINCIA, OR PROVENCE. (Book Provence) HItherto wee have described Aquitania and the Kingdome of Arelatum: Provincia followeth.* 1.1 This most excellent part of France from beyond Rhodanus even to the River Garumna was called Provincia, because the Romans many yeares before the Nativitie of Christ did reduce it into the forme of a Province, which name it still retaineth in a small portion thereof (wherein is Massilia and Aquae Sextiae) by way of excellencie, to declare that it had preheminence both in order and dignitie above all the Provinces of the Roman Empire. Daulphine lyeth neere to Provincia on the North side,* 1.2 being parted from it with the Mountaines commonly called the Mountaines of Velay, and by a great part of the River Drue••ius or Durance, running betweene. It is enclosed on the East side by the Alpes and the River Varus, on the left hand banke whereof stands the Towne Nicaea, where Italie beginneth, on the South the French Sea beateth on it, and the Westerne bounds of it are partly the Principalitie of Arausio or Orange, and the Countie of Avenio or Avignon, which did formerly belong unto it, though now they appertaine to other Princes: and partly the whole River Rhodanus, as farre as Lions and Arclatum, belonging to the Jurisdiction of the Parliament of Languedock.* 1.3 The Ayre here is gentle, milde, and very pure. The Countrie doth produce not onely excellent Corne, but also Fruites, with litle labour or tillage:* 1.4 and heere is as great plenty of Rasons and Figges, as may furnish the greatest part of Europe. Heere is such great store of Rosemarie, Juniper-berries, Chesse nuts, Pome-Citternes, Lemmons, Oranges, Saffron, Rice, and the like, as if the horne of plenty were poured forth upon this Countrie. The Vines yeeld excellent rich Wines heere, and the Soyle is every where very good and fruitfull. Concerning the ancient Earles of Provincia some things are to be noted: Wee reade in ancient Annals, that in the time of Ludovicus the eigth King of France, Raymundus Berengarius was Earle of Provence, and that Charles Earle of Anjou,* 1.5 and Sonne to the afterward King Ludovicus did marrie Beatrice his onely Daughter and Heire, & by that meanes got this Country. After him succeeded Charles surnamed the Lame, being Prince of Salernum, and King of Naples. After him his Sonne Robert succeeded, being Duke of Calabria, and King of Naples; and after him his Grand-childe Ioane (whose Father Charles Duke of Calabria was dead before) for by the last Will of this Robert she was made Queene of Naples, and Countesse of Provence. This woman, that shee might be revenged on her Adversaries, did adopt Ludovicus of Anjou, Sonne to Iohn King of France, and left him her successor both in other Principalities, and also in this Countie. After this Ludovicus, his Sonne Ludovicus the second was made Earle; and next after him his Son Ludovicus the third, who was also adopted by Ioane the second Queene of Naples, to be King of Sicily, and Duke of Calabria; This Ludovicus having no issue, by the consent of the aforesaid Ioane, instituted his brother Renatus to bee successor in those Principalities. And he being unwilling to resigne his right in the Kingdome of Naples, and the Countie of Provence, to Renatus Duke of Lotharingia, his Nephew did passe it over unto his brother Charles, Earle of Maine, who made (his sonne Charles dying) Ludovicus the eleventh King of France his heire. Some would have it that Renatus made him heire after Charles, by his last will, although Renatus Duke of Lotharingia did justly expostulate with him concerning the same. Heere dwelled heretofore the Salyi, the Aquenses, the Arelatenses, the Sextani, the Sentij, the Ebroduntij, the Dinienses, the Vesdiantij, the Sanicienses, the Nerucij, the Vencienses, the Vulgientes, the Aptenses, the Reienses, the Ostaviani, the Commoni, the Foro-Iulienses, the Segestorij, the Albici, the Oxubij, the Deciates, and others. There are in Provence under the Aquensian Parliament, besides many Townes of no small note, two Cities which have Archbishops, and eleven that have Bishops in them. The Archiepiscopall Cities are Aquae Sextiae and Arelatum. The Latines, Paterculus, Solinus, and others, doe call the first Aquae Sextiae Colonia. Plutarch, (in the life of C. Marius) Sextilia, the Itinerarie tables, Aquae Sestiae. The inscription of a stone at Lyons, neare to S. Benedicts Church, Colonia Iulia Aquae. Lastly a certaine ancient inscription, and Vespasians coyne, Colonia Iulia, Aquae Sexiae, Legio 25. It was called Aquae, because there are bathes of hot water, whence also it is now called Aix; and it was called Sextiae, from C. Sextius, who was Consul in the yeare from the building of the Citie of Rome, 630. For he having subdued the Nation of the Salyi, built this Citie, to the end, that hee might place a Roman garrison therein, and that hee might drive the Barbarians from those coasts, which open a way from Massilia into Italy: seeing the Massilians were not able to suppresse them, (you may reade Livy lib. 61. from the 10. cap.) But concerning the same, it was called Iulia Augusta, from C. Iulius Caesar Augustus, who did enlarge it with colonies, bringing thither the old Souldiers of the 25 Legion. The Parliament of Provence is held here, which therefore is called Parliamentum Aquense. Partly at this Citie, and partly in Italie did C. Marius overcome the Cimbrians a people of Germanie, and the Tigurini, and Abrones, French Nations that banded themselves with them: of which Historie elsewhere. The second Citie Orosius and Ausonius (Lib. de urbibus in Epigraphe & ipso carmine 7^o) do call u 1.6 Arelas, the same Ausonius, elsewhere doth call it Arelatus: Caesar calls it Arelate; as also Suetonius (in the life of Tiberius) Mela, and others. Strabo calls it Areletae, Ptolemie Arelaton, Salyorum Colonia, and Pliny, Arelate Sextanorum; but now by a word of the plurall number it is called Arles. Festus Avienus doth report that the Graecians heretofore inhabiting it, did call it T•elinis. Iulius Scaliger witnesseth that in a faire inscription on a pillar which hee had seene, it is called Mamiliaria, but the reason why is unknowne. Fl. Constantinus the Emperour, did enact and ordaine that it should be called Constantia, and that the assemblies and conventions of seaven Provinces, namely of Vienne, of both the Narbons, of both the Aquitanes, of Novem-Populana, and the Maritime Alpes, should be held and kept there; and Ausonius calleth it Gallula Roma, in those verses which I mentioned before. It is a Citie seated neare Rhodanus, on the left hand banke thereof. The Itinerarie table placeth it on the right hand, where now stands Languedocke. Ausonius affirmeth that Arelatum is divided with the River Rhodanus flowing betweene. Whence hee maketh it twofold in his booke of Cities; because Rhodanus divideth and cutteth it into two parts. But now, the forme and face thereof being changed, it standeth wholly upon that banke of Rhodanus which lyeth towards Italie, and is environed on all sides with Marishes, in which fierce Oxen are bred. Hence it is thought that it was once farre greater, & some beleeve that the other part of the Citie, which flourished heretofore was wasted by the Gothes. It appeares in Ausonius that it was a Towne of traffique. And wee reade that the Kings of Burgundy did formerly keepe their residence therein, and afterward the Earles of Provence. D. Trophinus was the first Bishop thereof, who was the Apostle Pauls Disciple; and in the second yeare of Neroes raigne came into France. From this man as from a Fountaine, as Sosimus writeth, the Christian faith was diffused and dispersed through all France. It hath now a strong Castle, and is famous for its two Prelates heretofore, Honoratus and Hilarius. So much concerning the Archiepiscopall Cities of Provence; the Episcopall are eleven, amongst the which the chiefe is Massiliae: the Latines, and also some of the Graecians doe call it Masilia, Strabo, Stephanus, and ancient coynes do call it Massalia, Ptol. Masalia: but now it is commonly called Marseille. It was once a Colonie of the Graecian Phocoeans, and was built in the 45 Olympiad, as Solinus witnesseth in the dayes of King Tarquine, as Iustine noteth (Lib. 43.) Plutarch in the life of Solon writeth that it was built by Protus, otherwise Protis. Strabo sheweth that it is seated on a rockie place, neare the mouth of the River Rhodanus, and in a remote part of the Bay, as it were in the corner of the Sea, as Iustine saith out of Trogus Moreover M. Tullius doth so praise the Common-wealth of the Massilians, that speaking in defence of Fontejus before the people of Rome, hee durst say, that their Citie did exceed not onely Greece, but almost all other Nations for discipline and gravitie. They reckon and begin the number of their Bishops from Lazarus, whom Christ raised from death. So much concerning Massilia, the other Episcopall Cities are Dine, which Ptolemy calls Dinia: Grasse, Glandeue, or Glanate, which learned Latine Writers doe call the Citie of Glannatica, and some Authors Glamnatena: They are deceived who make Plynies, Mela's, and Antoninus his Glanum, to be the same with Glannate. For Antoninus placeth Glanum betweene Cabellio and Arles, from which Glanata is farre distant: so that this Glanum is not now knowne. Also Sanas or Sanitium, a Towne in the Maritime Alpes. w 1.7 Vintium a Town not farre from Senas, called by Dion, Ventiar, Apta Iulia, which Antoninus calleth corruptly Avia Iulia, and Abte-julia for in the Itinerarie table it is called Apta Iulia, and is now called Apte: Ries, or Reius, which in the Itinerarie table is written Reis Apolinaris: Feriuls, which Plancus writing to Cicero, calleth Forum Iulij; Ptolemy, Forum Iulium; Augustus coyne, Col. Iul. Octav. It is now a Sea or Haven Towne, Cisteron which Antoninus and the Itinerarie table calleth Segustero. Iosephus Scaliger (in his Letters to Merula) Cestro; and Pliny, Cessero: But Merula thinketh that Plinyes Cessero is the same with Ptolemies Cessero, now called Castres. Lastly Tolon, which the learned Latine Writers doe call Telonium, and Antoninus, Telo Martius, being a Towne seated within a Bay of the Sea, nine leagues from Massilia: so much concerning the Episcopall Townes. There are also other Townes no lesse famous and ancient, as Antibe, which Ptolemy calls Antipolis, a Towne of Deciati; Pliny calls it Oppidum Latinum, and it is called a Colonie in the coyne of the Emperour Titus. Olbia, which is now thought to be that which is called Yeres, or Hieres, neare the Sea, almost three leagues from Telon. Over against the Towne lye those famous Ilands, which Ptolemy calleth Staechades; and Stephanus Ligustidae. They are now called the Iles of Yeres, or Hieres, and the best sort of Corall is gathered there; even as good as that in the Ligustick Sea. Also S. Maximin, which Antoninus in his Itinerarie thinketh to be Tecolata, being sixe leagues from Massilia toward the North. Tarascon, which Ptolemy calls Taruscon, being seated on the left banke of Rhodanus; and over against it on the right hand banke Belloquadra, commonly called Beaucarie. The Townes which have the dignitie of a Countie, are Sault, S. Gilles, and others.