Mosella
The Mosella, also known as the Moselle, is a significant river that flows through northeastern France and western Germany, serving as a left-bank tributary of the Rhine. It has historical importance, particularly as the site of Augusta Trevirorum, now known as Trier, a major Roman city. In the first century AD, the river was the focus of an ambitious canal project proposed by Lucius Antistius Vetus to enhance trade routes by connecting it to the Saône River, although this plan was ultimately thwarted due to political concerns. The Mosella is also celebrated in literature, notably in a poem by the Roman poet Ausonius, who vividly described its features, the experience of navigating its waters, and the idyllic landscapes that adorned its banks. This poetic reflection highlights the cultural and economic significance of the river throughout history, showcasing its role in local life and its influence on trade and transportation. The surrounding region is characterized by vineyards and picturesque country estates, contributing to the scenic beauty that continues to attract visitors today.
Subject Terms
Mosella
(Moselle, Mosel), river
A left-bank tributary of the Rhenus (Rhine) in Gallia Belgica and Germania Superior (northeastern France and western Germany). The great Roman city and base of Augusta Trevirorum (Trier) lay on the Mosella. In AD 58, during the reign of Nero, Lucius Antistius Vetus, military commander of Upper Germany, planned to build a canal linking the Mosella with the Arar (Saône), so that goods arriving from the Mediterranean up the Rhodanus (Rhône) and Arar could pass through the Mosella into the Rhine, and so onward to the North Sea. But the governor of Gallia Belgica, Aelius Gracilis, prevented Vetus from importing the required military workmen into his province (`that would be currying favor in Gaul, and would worry the emperor’).
The Mosella was immortalized by a poem of Ausonius (c 310–95) bearing its name. Arriving from Bingium (Bingen) and catching his first sight of the river at Noviomagus (Neumagen), he gives an account of its main features, aspects of its navigation, and the fish its waters contained. He also describes its vineclad banks, the pleasure it gave to the local inhabitants, the country mansions that lined its course, and the tributaries that increased its dimensions on the way to the Rhine.