AUSETA´NI
Eth.
AUSETA´NI (
Αὐθητανοί,
Ptol. 2.6.70), one of the small peoples in the extreme NE. of Hispania Tarraconensis, at the foot of the Pyrenees, in
Catalonia. Pliny (
3.3. s. 4) places them (
intus recedentes radice Pyrenaei) W. of the
LALETANI and
INDIGETES and E. of the
LACETANI and
CERRETANI Ptolemy (
l.c.) places the Cerretani furthest to the E., and next to them the Ausetani. Their position is fixed by that of their chief cities
AUSA and
GERUNDA (
Gerona), along the valley of the river
Ter, the ancient Alba.
The great Roman road from Narbo in Gaul to Tarraco passed through their territory. Under the Roman empire they belonged to the conventus of Tarraco. Of their cities,
AUSA and
GERUNDA had the
jus Latinumr (Plin.
l.c.); and Baecula (
Βαικούλα, Ptol.
l.c.: Eth. Baeculonenses, Plin.) was a
civitas stipendiaria. Ptolemy also mentions Aquae Calidae (
Ὕδατα θερμά: prob.
Bañolas), between Ausa and Gerunda: it seems not quite certain whether this town is the same as that of the
stipendarii Aquicaldenses of Pliny (
l.c.）
The Ausetani are several times mentioned by Livy: as conquered by Hannibal, at the beginning of the second Punic War (21.23); reconquered by Scipio (100.61); taking part in the revolt of Indibilis, B.C. 205 (29.2, et seq.), and the war of the Emporiae, B.C. 195 (34.20: see also 39.56, and Caesar,
B.C. 1.60.)
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P.S]
