Cottiae Alpes
COTTIAE ALPES
COTTIAE ALPES [ALPES p. 107.]
Cottiae Alpes
The modern Mont St. Genèvre, generally, though erroneously, supposed to be the place where Hannibal crossed into Italy. (See Alpes.) They took their name from Cottius, a king of several Ligurian tribes in the Cottian Alps, which also derived their name from him. He submitted to Augustus, who granted him the sovereignty over twelve of these tribes, with the title of praefectus. Cottius thereupon made roads over the Alps, and erected (B.C. 8) at Segusio (Susa) a triumphal arch in honour of Augustus, extant at the present day. It is 44 feet in height and 39 in width, with projecting Corinthian columns at the corners and sacrificial scenes on the friezes.