Roussillon (Traditional province, France)

Last modified: 2004-12-22 by ivan sache
Keywords: roussillon | catalonia | error |
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by Jorge Candeias

• History of Roussillon
• Description of the flag of Roussillon
• Erroneous flag of Roussillon

See also:

• France
• Traditional provinces
• Region
  • Languedoc-Roussillon
• Department
  • Pyrénées-Orientales
    
    
• Occitania
• Catalonia

History of Roussillon

The Romans conquered Roussillon against the Iberians. Roussillon was then a division of the Provincia narbonensis, with the oppidum (fortified city) of Ruscino as its capital city. The area was divided in four pagi, the pagus Ruscinonensis, the pagus Vallis Asperi (now Vallespir), the pagus Confluentis (now Conflent), and the pagus Liviensis (now Cerdagne, including the Spanish enclave of Llivia). The Roman Roussillon had two main ports, Cocoliberis (Collioure) and Portus Veneris (Port-Vendres).

Roussilon was trashed during the successive invasions by the Wisigoths, the Arabs and the Franks. After the conquest of Septimania, Pépin le Bref reincorporated Roussillon to the reunified Gaul (752-759). In order to fight against the Caliphate of Cordoua, the Carolingian kings set up the Spanish marsh, made of Septimania and the maritime Catalan counties: Roussillon, Empurias, Gerona and Barcelona. When the Carolingian rule vanished, Catalonia bec