AUGUSTA VAGIENNORUM
AUGUSTA VAGIENNORUM (
Αὐγούστα Βαγιεννῶν, Ptol.; an inscription, Orell. 76, has AUG. BAG. for Augusta Bagiennorum), the chief city of the Ligurian tribe of the Vagienni, is mentioned both by Pliny and Ptolemy, and the former speaks of it as a place of importance. (
Plin. Nat. 3.5. s. 7;
Ptol. 3.1.35.)
But though the name would lead us to suppose that it was a colony of Augustus, we have no account of its foundation, nor do ancient authors afford any clue to its position.
It was placed by D'Anville at
Vico, near
Mondovi; but a local antiquarian, Durandi, has satisfactorily proved that some Roman ruins still visible near
Bene (a considerable town of Piedmont, situated between the valleys of the
Tanaro and the
Stura, about 12 miles from the site of Pollentia) are those of Augusta Vagiennorum. They comprise the remains of an aqueduct, amphitheatre, baths, and other buildings, and cover a considerable extent of ground.
The name of
Bene is itself probably only a corruption of
Bayienna, the form of the ancient name which is found in documents of the middle ages. (Durandi,
Dell' Augusta de' Vagienni, Torino, 1769; Millin,
Voy. en Piémont, vol. ii. p. 50.)
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E.H.B]
