P29
The Romanization
We have few direct sources about the oldest contacts between Romans and Ligurians, who lived in
the Lange, settled where there was going to found Alba.
The Romanization of this land probably revealed pacific thank to an agreement (foedus) that has led
to the occupation of a previous Ligurian village in the first half of the II century BC.
In 89 BC, the Lex Pompeia – approved by the consul Gneo Pompeo Strabone – transformed the
northern Italy cities in Latin rights communities. In order to honour Pompeo, the town of Alba
changed its name in Alba Pompeia.
Being a Latin Rights city, only a small part of the community owned the Roman citizen’s
prerogatives. The extension of the rights to the entire city population arrived only in 89 BC, when
Alba Pompeia became a Roman municipium, according to the Ceasar’s law. The citizens of the city
were inscribed to the tribus Camilia.
Later, as a consequent of the Augustus’ reform, the city – with the zone to the south of the Po –
became part of the 9th region, the Liguria.
This administrative division remained in force until the Diocletian’s reforms (end of the III century
AC)
1) Grave goods dated back to the I century BC from Centallo-Roata Chiusani (Archaeological
Museum of Turin)
2) The Tanaro Valley from Northeast to Alba