Raetia Prima was aprovince of theRoman Empire inLate Antiquity, which was created in the early fourth century AD inDiocletian's Reforms by dividing the province ofRaetia. It is possible but not proven that the capital wasCuria Raetorum (modernChur).[1]
In the first half of the first century AD, the province ofRaetia was created, covering theAlpine region between theDanube and theInn River, modernSwitzerland south of theBodensee and the northernTyrol, which had been brought under Roman control in 15 BC. Around 180 AD, Raetia was anImperial province of the second class, governed by asenator ofpraetorian rank. In 297 AD, as part ofDiocletian's reforms of the provinces, Raetia was split along the Bodensee and the northernEast Alps, creating two new provinces: Raetia Prima or Curiensis in the east andRaetia Secunda or Vindelica in the west. Both provinces belonged to theDiocese of Italy and were under the control of a single military commander, theDux Raetiae primae et secundae [de]. The civil administration of each province was entrusted to apraeses, a governor of lower rank. The residences of these two officials,Curia Raetorum (modernChur) andAugusta Vindelicorum [de] (Augsburg), are the source of the later German language terms:Churrätien and Vindelicien.
The exact area of Raetia Prima in the fourth century AD is not stated in the sources. It has been generally supposed that it simply consisted of the Alpine part of the predecessor province of Raetia, i.e. the northern East Alps up toKufstein, theInn River valley fromAltfinstermünz [de] to theZillertal and the upperEisack valley.[2]Brill's New Pauly andRichard Heuberger the Younger [de] (1930s), however, make the northern border theArgen and the eastern border a line running fromIsny im Allgäu over theArlberg throughVal Müstair to theStelvio Pass. WhetherBellinzona on the northernTicino and the ItalianOssola valley belonged to Raetia Prima is unclear.[3]
Even after theFall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 AD, the political connection of Rhaetia Prima with Italy survived to some extent. Initially, the province came under the control ofOdoacer's kingdom of Italy.[4] After his death in 493, theOstrogothic kingdom inherited control over the province.[5] The Ostrogothic kingTheoderic the Great again placed Raetia Prima under the control of aDux to ensure the security of Italy. Civil administration remained the responsibility of the Praeses. The main seat of administration was Chur, which is first attested as the seat of abishopric in 452 AD. In 537 AD, the Ostrogothic kingWitiges was forced to cede the portion of Raetia prima south of the Bodensee to theFrankish kingTheudebert I, in exchange for support against theByzantine Empire in theGothic War.[6] When the Ostrogoths lost that war, Theudebert was able to bring the rest of Raetia Prima including the militarily and economically important Bündner pass under his control. How this occurred is not recorded, but it marked the end of the regions political connection to Italy.[7]