Barbarian autonomy in Narbonensis. The Federation of the Vocontii

Abstract

The principles of organization of the Roman state aim, firstly, at its functionality, the political class pragmatically applying measures to reduce, where possible, the degree of troops implication or financial involvement. Such situations are common in the Hellenistic world where Rome has found competitors that had international law institutions well established and functional. The federation of vocontii is one such case, being special in that it is located Westside of the Empire, precisely in Gallia Narbonensis. Although modern historiography assumes that vocontii were influenced by the Hellenistic civilization generated by Massalia, they are still a barbarous people with Celtic- Ligurian heterogeneous structure. The legal status they held raises some problems related to the reasons that have led the Romans to impose and maintain such a situation.