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 Susa
Valley History |
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History
Susa
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Susa
was and still is the heart of a huge heritage of Celtic, Roman and
medieval art, culture and history.
Through the centuries, Susa has been a strategic place for its
geographic position. In its origins it was a Celtic city, and its
name comes from the Celtic expression “powerful city” or “home of
victory”. |
The Roman walls in an antique painting |
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Susa was
the capital of the Cozziano kingdom, ruled by King Donno and later
by Cozio I, who demanded and obtained an alliance treaty during
the passage of the Roman emperor Caesar Augustus through the
Monginevro
(in the march towards the Gaul).
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An arch was built in memory
of the
treaty:
it’s the Arch of Augustus, still visible
near the 'Parco
della Rimembranza'
Arco di Augusto |
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In the
year 500 B.C., when Aosta and Turin didn’t exist yet,
Susa was
already a Celtic city, successfully administered by Druid priests.
Later on it became a Roman city, its most magnificent period
coinciding
with the height of the Roman Empire. |
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Towards the end
of the Roman rule, Susa erected defensive walls to protect
itself from the barbarian invasions. Today, these walls
surround the old city centre. The following was a long and
dark period, and the city was dominated by the Ostrogoths, the
Goths and, for a short period, even by the Greeks.
Afterwards, it was surrendered to the Frank Kings, and in the
year 906 Susa and the Valley were invaded by the Saracens for
almost half a century. The future of the Valley and of the
County of Turin was determined by the Marquis Arduino
Glabrione, Count of Turin, who liberated the Valley from the
Saracen invasion, and later on by his descendant, the Marquise
Adelaide, who married the Count Morianna. |
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During the medieval
period Susa was devastated by a fire of enormous proportions,
caused by the Emperor Frederick Redbeard during his second passage
through the country.
The churches and the Castle of the Marquise
Adelaide were the only buildings spared.
After 1500 AD Susa became an important trading city between Italy
and France and a source of wealth. |
The Savoy Porte |
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The Napoleonic road, the famous
“Fell Railway” that connected the city to the Moncenisio pass and
travelled at a height of 2,200 meters and the Frejus tunnel are
all witnesses of its glorious past. |
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