Alpes Poeninae

Roman province, Europe

Written by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

July 16, 2026

Quick Summary

The Alpes Poeninae, also known as the Pennine Alps, was one of several small provinces established by the Romans in the western Alps. This province guarded the Great Saint Bernard Pass and its administration fluctuated until Diocletian reorganized the Roman provincial system. The Romans also created other Alpine provinces, such as Alpes Maritimae, Alpes Cottiae, and Alpes Graiae, to secure important routes and territories. These provinces were integral to Roman control over regions that now form parts of France, Switzerland, and Italy.12

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

2 Britannica Sources

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.

Alpes
…Graiae was often combined with Alpes Poeninae (Pennine Alps), farther north and east, which guarded the Great Saint Bernard Pass. The administration of these northern Alpes seems to have fluctuated until Diocletian reorganized the whole provincial system.
Read More
…Graiae was often combined with Alpes Poeninae (Pennine Alps), farther north and east, which guarded the Great Saint Bernard Pass. The administration of these northern Alpes seems to have fluctuated until Diocletian reorganized the whole provincial system.
Read More