Nantuates

The Nantuaten (Latin Nantuates or Nantuatae ) were a Celtic tribe in the Alps, near the Lake Geneva had its residences. During the reign of Emperor Augustus conquered by the Romans, its territory was later a Roman province Alpes Graiae. Its main town, was Tarnaiae (now Massongex in the Saint -Maurice of the canton of Valais) and was also named Tarnaiae Nantuatium. The name is derived possibly from the Gallic word nanto " (Valley ").

In Strabo and Polybius is a potential route for Hannibal crossing the Alps in 218 BC, the route adopted by Lake Geneva through the present Wallis, ie through the residential areas of Nantuaten, Veragrer, Caturiger and Ceutronen, because the Carthaginians there even car if only with great difficulty, could carry.

In the 3rd book (1-6) by Caesars bellum gallicum is reported that he BC sent Servius Sulpicius Galba, the legates in the year 57 with the Legio XII Fulminata to secure the Alpine passes into the field of Nantuaten, Seduner and Veragrer. Galba solves the equation, put his remaining two cohorts to winter camp after Octodurum (now Martigny ) and this could have a new attack of the Alpine tribes successfully fight back.

The Trophy of Augustus at La Turbie today (built 7/6 BC) calls the Nantuaten in the list of 16/15 BC defeated in the Augustan campaigns Alps Alpine tribes.