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Home / history / the origins

Local History

[ Origins /Roman Age ] [ The Middle Age ] [Venice ] [The austrian rule ] [The last century]

The origins

The town of Belluno has a long history of settlements, in spite of the fact that it has always been a quite inaccessible geographic area; it was still a transit path, through the valley of the river Piave, for the populations moving from the planes to the alpine valleys, looking for both metal veins and new ways to cross the Alps.
It is certain that, at some stage, the settlements in Belluno and its sorrounding area became stable, because the region was quite sheltered and easy to defend.
Archeological findings testify a human presence already during the Stone Age; however, more important findings concern the settlements of the "paleoveneti" (Indo-European population from Asia Minor) both in the planes of Veneto and along the course of the river Piave. Such findings include the necropolis of Mel, the archeological sites in Cavarzano and Fisterre, and the important site of Lagole (Calalzo). The latter was discovered in 1881, when eighty graves were found; however, the bronze burial outfits were completely destroyed during WW I.

The "paleoveneta" culture, flourishing in the Belluno area during the 5th century B.C, differs from that of the plains in many aspects, including the linguistic one (see G.B. Pellegrini). Many findings testify celtic influences on the area and openings towards the Isonzo valley. Regarding the "celtic link" to the north of the Alps, the findings consist in armor pieces like helms and swords (Cadore); on the other hand, the relations with the eastern Celts (in Friuli) are testified by the finding of "torques" (rigid necklaces) and the fibula with sphynx from Cavarzano (such findings do not have counterparts from the plains). Several of the findings from the "paleoveneto" culture can be seen in the civic museum (Museo Civico) of Belluno and in other museums of the province.
During the following centuries, the celtic populations moved south, to Belluno and beyond.

Very likely, the "ferae" populations that the Romans drove back north in their conquest of the alpine regions were celtic. Starting from Aquileia in 181 B.C., the roman conquest proceeded slowly and peacefully: given its anti-celtic character, it did not meet with hostility from the people of Belluno, who had a local, non-celtic culture. The first contacts with the Belluno area were eminently commercial, as the Romans were in need of iron and copper.
During the times of Augustus (the former Octavius), Belluno became a "municipium" following Feltre and the Cadore, and it became part of the "X Regio Venetia et Histria". As the "municipium" fell into decline, Belluno was put under central imperial authority. The roman remains are today abundant: from burial stones (the most famous is that of Flavius Ostilius, now kept in Crepadona), to the aqueducts (like the Fisterre one); from the coins to the monumental inscriptions (second and third century A.D.).
From the remaining documents, we believe that Belluno must have enjoyed a certain degree of autonomy from Rome. It was governed by the "quattuorviri jure dicendo" (high magistrates) and from the council of elders, and a "union" of timber transporters was present, which has survived to the present times as an association of rafters. In the roman age, fir rafts, loaded with larch, minerals and building stones, descended from the alpine rivers to the Po river and to the harbour of Ravenna. This activity, linked to the timber of the Belluno area, developed since the first imperial age, as is testified by documents found in Feltre and Belluno (2nd-4th century A.D.).
The "romanisation" phenomenon radically changed the landscape: with the subdivision of the farming territory in several quadrangular parts (centuriae), new lands were reclaimed and cultivated; canals were built, woods were cut down and roads were built to the estates. Each "centuria" was assigned either to romans or to native people, who became the landlords. The first landlords have often given their family name to their estate: "Cavarzano" derives from Capertianum (Capertia family state), while "Vezzano" derives from the Vettianum family.The roman castrum corresponds to the oldest part of Belluno, situated on a south-sloped river terrace, between the riverbeds of the Ardo and the Piave; the forum was situated in the modern "Piazza delle Erbe" (Place of Herbs); in the neighbouring area, important settlements were those of Cavarzano and Fisterre. It should be noted that the coincidence of the roman town with the modern one makes it difficult to discover the original urban structure; it is however known that the structure of the castrum was left unchanged until the end of the 10th century. After 475 A.D., Belluno followed the fate of the Roman Empire, and was subject to barbaric invasions.

The Piave river in the Belluno area

Funerary urn in red clay from the necropolis in Mel

Coltello e fodero - Fisterre

Bellunum sorta sul promontorio sporgente tra Ardo e Piave

sarcophagus of Gaio Flavio Ostilio ( III century A.D.), today in Crepadona

Large mosaic floor (3rd-4th century A.D.) - Belluno, S. Lucano - under the present street

Several archeological remains from the roman period can be found in the Civic Museum of Belluno:
http://www.comune.belluno.it