OPITE´RGIUM
OPITE´RGIUM (
Ὀπιτέργιον: Eth.
Opiterginus:
Oderzo), a city of Venetia, situated about 24 miles from the sea, midway between the rivers Plavis (
Piave) and Liquentia (
Livenza), on a small stream (now called the
Fratta) flowing into the latter. No mention of it is found before the Roman conquest of Venetia; but it appears to have under their rule become a considerable municipal town, and is mentioned by Strabo as a flourishing place, though not a city of the first class. (
Strab. v. p.214.)
In the Civil War between Caesar and Pompey a body of troops furnished by the Opitergini is mentioned as displaying the most heroic valour, and offering a memorable example of self-devotion, in a naval combat between the fleets of the two parties. (Liv.
Ep. cx.;
Flor. 4.2.33;
Lucan 4.462-
571.) Tacitus also notices it as one of the more considerable towns in this part of Italy which were occupied by the generals of Vespasian, Primus, and Varus. (
Tac. Hist. 3.6.)
It is mentioned by all the geographers, as well as in the Itineraries ; and though Ammianus tells us it was taken and destroyed by an irruption of the Quadi and Marcomanni in A. D. 372, it certainly recovered this blow, and was still a considerable town under the Lombards. (
Plin. Nat. 3.19. s. 23;
Ptol. 3.1.30;
Itin. Ant. p. 280;
Tab. Peut.; Amm. Marc. 29.6.1; P. Diac. 4.40.)
In an inscription of the reign of Alexander Severus, Opitergium bears the title of a Colonia; as it is not termed such either by Pliny or Tacitus, it probably obtained that rank under Trajan. (Orell.
Inscr. 72; Zumpt,
de Colon. p. 402.): It was destroyed by the Lombard king Rotharis in A.D. 641, and again, in less than 30 years afterwards, by Grimoaldus (P. Diac. 4.47, 5.28); but seems to have risen again from its ruins in the middle ages, and is still a considerable town and an episcopal see.
Opitergium itself stood quite in the plain; but its territory, which must have been extensive, comprised a considerable range of the adjoining Alps, as Pliny speaks of the river Liquentia as rising “ex montibus Opiterginis” (
Plin. Nat. 3.18. s. 22). The Itinerary gives a line of cross-road which proceeded from Opitergium by Feltria (
Feltre) and the
Val Sugana to Tridentum (
Trent). (
Itin. Ant. p. 280.)
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E.H.B]
