Novaria
Nonaria. Vide supra in hac voce.
NOVA´RIA (Νουαρία, Ptol.: Novara), a considerable city of Cisalpine Gaul, situated on the highroad from Mediolanum to Vercellae, at the distance of 33 miles from the former city. (Itin. Ant. pp. 344, 350.) It was in the territory of the Insubres (Ptol. 3.1.33); but its foundation is ascribed by Pliny to a people whom he calls Vertacomacori, who were of the tribe of the Vocontii, a Gaulish race, according to Pliny, and not, as asserted by Cato, a Ligurian one. (Plin. Nat. 3.17. s. 21.) No mention is found in history of Novaria previous to the Roman conquest; but it seems to have been in the days of the Empire a considerable municipal town. It is reckoned by Tacitus (Tac. Hist. 1.70) among the firmissima Transpadanae regions municipiaw hich declared in favour of Vitellius, A.D. 69; and was the native place of the rhetorician C. Albucius Silus, who exercised municipal functions there. (Suet. Rhet. 6. ) Its municipal rank is confirmed also by inscriptions (Gruter, Inscr. p. 393. 8, &c.); and we learn from Pliny that its territory was fertile in vines (17.23. s. 35). After the fall of the Western Empire Novaria is again mentioned as a fortified town of some importance; and it seems to have retained its consideration under the Lombard rule. (Procop. B. G. 2.12; P. Diac. Hist. Lang. 6.18.) The modern city of Novara is a flourishing place, with about 16,000 inhabitants, but has no ancient remains. [E.H.B]
Now Novara; a town in Gallia Transpadana, situated on a river of the same name (Gogna), and on the road from Mediolanum (Milan) to Vercellae.
A Roman municipium with a nearly square grid plan determined by the junction of the cardo and the decumanus, intersected by other minor streets. Recovered remains of the walls have permitted reconstruction of the boundaries of the urban plan, which enclosed nearly one square km.
Traces of the circuit wall are visible beneath the Palazzo Venezia and the dwellings of the Marzoni and Bossi Grai, while to the E there are remains beneath the Salesian Institute and the Quaglia dwelling. In the course of digging the foundations of new buildings such as the San Lorenzo retreat and the San Luca orphanage, segments of the wall were discovered, but only recently in Largo Cavour has a significant section (about 60 m long) been discovered.
From these investigations the structure of the wall can be determined. It was very strong, with a rubble core and walls of opus incertum interrupted by two courses of brick. The portion beneath Piazza Cavour reveals traces of a postern gate, with a staircase, still perfectly preserved, hugging the inner wall. That the gate gave access to a hilly area indicates that, at least in this part of the ancient city, the buildings were set on an elevated plain.
The presence of grand buildings in the city is evidenced by an enormous wall complex unearthed in 1922 when the foundations for the Banca d'Italia were being dug. At that time, large sections of mosaic pavement were brought to light. A dedicatory inscription to Terentia Postumia shows the existence of public baths as do the remains of a water pipe which emptied in an area probably occupied by the baths, as even the present-day name, Canton Balineo, demonstrates. A dedicatory inscription to G. Torullius Fuscus indicates the existence of an organization of an office of public officials and of a public works department.
BIBLIOGRAPHYH. Philipp in RE XVII (1936) 1135-1136; G. L. Stella in Bollettino Storico per la Provincia di Novara 41 (1950) 27ff; F. Cognasso, “Novara e la sua Storia,” Novara e il suo territorio (1952) 3ff; L. Cassani in Bollettino Storico per la Provincia di Novara 44 (1953) 54ff; id., Repertorio di Antichità preromane e romane rinvenute nella Provincia di Novara (1962); R. Fumagalli in Bollettino Storico per la Provincia di Novara 45 (1955) 232ff.
C. CARDUCCI