Rhaetia
and
Raetia (the latter is preferable). A Roman province south of the
Danube, was originally distinct from Vindelicia, and was bounded on the west by the Helvetii,
on the east by Noricum, on the north by Vindelicia, and on the south by Cisalpine Gaul, thus
corresponding to the Grisons in Switzerland, and to the greater part of the Tyrol. Towards the
end of the first century, however, Vindelicia was added to the province of Rhaetia, whence
Tacitus speaks of Augusta Vindelicorum as situated in Rhaetia. At a later time Rhaetia was
subdivided into two provinces, Rhaetia Prima and Rhaetia Secunda, the former of which answered
to the old province of Rhaetia, and the latter to Vindelicia. (See
Vindelicia.) Through Rhaetia runs the principal chain of the Alps called
the Alpes Rhaeticae. In it rise some of the great rivers of Northern Italy—the
Athesis (Adige) and the Addua (Adda)—besides the Oenus (Irn). The early inhabitants
of Rhaetia were said to be Etruscans, and down to a late date a dialect of Etruscan was spoken
in parts of the country. (See Strabo, pp. 204, 292, 313; Pliny ,
Pliny H. N. iii. 133; and Polybius, xxxiv. 10—the last being
the earliest mention of the Rhaeti.) In the Roman period, the preponderant race were the
Kelts, who were not subdued until the reign of Augustus. The chief towns were Tridentinum
(Trent) and Augusta Vindelicorum (Augsburg). See
Planta, Die alte
Rätien (1872); and
Oberziner, I Reti
(1890).
