CATU´RIGES
Eth.
CATU´RIGES (
Κατύριγες). When Caesar crossed the Alps from Italy into Gallia the second time, in the early part of B.C. 58, he went by Ocelum (
Uxean or
Ocello), the last town in Gallia Citerior, to one of the Alpine passes. His route was by the pass of the
Mont Genèvre, or Alpis Cottia. The Centrones, Graioceli, and Caturiges, occupied the heights and attempted to prevent him from crossing the Alps. (
B. G. 1.10.)
The position of the Caturiges is determined by that of their town Caturiges or Caturigae. which the Itineraries place between Ebrodunum (
Embrun), and Vapincum (
Gap); and a place called
Chorges corresponds to this position. Two inscriptions are reported as found on the spot, which contain the name Cat. or Cathirig.
An old temple, called the temple of Diana, now serves as a church.
There are also fragments of Roman columns; and a block of marble in front of the church contains the name of the emperor Nero. (
Guide de Voyageur, &c., par Richard et Hocquart.)
In the Table this town is named Catorimagus, and is placed on the road from Brigantio (
Briançon), to Vapincum. The Antonine Itin. has the same route, but the town is named Caturiges; and it has the same name in the Jerusalem Itin.
The name of the Caturiges is preserved in the inscription of the trophy of the Alps (
Plin. Nat. 3.20), and they are mentioned between the Uceni and Brigiani. Pliny also mentions the Vagienni, who were in Italy on the Tanarus, as sprung from the Caturiges (3.5); and in an obscure passage (3.17) he speaks of “Caturiges exsules Insubrum,” as having disappeared from Gallia Transpadana. We may probably conclude that the Caturiges were among the Galli who entered Italy in the early period of Roman history. Besides the town of Caturiges, they had Ebrodunum (
Embrun). They possessed, accordingly, part of the upper valley of the
Durance. In Ptolemy the Caturiges (
Κατυργίδαι, 3.1) are placed in the Alpes Graiae, which is a mistake; and he mentions only one town of the Caturiges, Ebrodunum. Strabo's description of the position of the Caturiges (p. 204) is also incorrect. D'Anville supposes that Brigantium was included in the territory of the Caturiges; but there is no evidence for this, though it seems likely enough. Ptolemy assigns it to the Segusini. [
BRIGANTIUM]
[
G.L]
