TRIDENTUM
TRIDENTUM or
TRIDENTE (
Τριδέντε:
Trento or
Trent), the capital of the Tridentini in the south of Rhaetia, on the eastern bank of the Athesis, and on the highroad from Verona to Veldidena. (
Plin. Nat. 3.23; Justin,
20.5;
it. Ant. pp. 275, 281; Paul. Diac. i 2, 3.9, 4.42, 5.36;
Flor. 3.3;
Ptol. 3.1.31;
Tab. Peut.) The town is said to have derived its name from the trident of Neptune, which is still shown fixed in the wall of the ancient church of S. Vigil.
The place seems to have been made a Roman colony (Orelli,
Inscript. Nos. 2183, 3744, 3905, 4823). Theodoric the Great surrounded Tridentum with a wall, of which a considerable portion still exists. (Comp. Pallhausen,
Beschreib. der Röm. Heerstrasse von Verona nach Augsburg, p. 28, foll.; Benedetto Giovanelli,
Discorso sopra un‘ Iscrizione Trentina, Trento, 1824, and by the same author,
Trento, Citta d'Rezj e Colonia Romana, Trento, 1825.)
[
L.S]
