Valle d’Aosta is an autonomous region, and from 1948 it has had a “special constitution”. It is made up of only one province Aosta, which is also the capital of the region (called “Augusta Taurinorum” being of Latin origin).
It is obvious that the strong northern influence in the dialect of the region’s inhabitants is due to its geographic position. In fact the region is set among the Dora Baltea and includes the highest mountain in Europe (Mont Blanc or Monte Bianco in Italian, 4810 m); he valley was inhabited in ancient times by Celtic populations from the north.
At the end of the 1st century B.C. the Romans invaded the region and annexed it to the 11th Roman Region called Transpadana. Later on it was conquered by the Gauls.
Proof of Roman presence in the region is still visible in the capital, Aosta.
br> In the 5th century A.D. during the barbaric invasions that played a role in the end of the Western Roman Empire, the Burgundi invaded the region after having conquered the French part first. The region was then conquered by the Ostrogoths under their king Teodorico. Aosta returned under the Byzantines and was annexed to the Merovingian reign. This dynasty came before the one of the Carolingi with whom the Sacred Roman Empire of Charlemagne was born ( 800 A.D.).
Starting from 904 the region became part of the Reign of Borgona and finally of the Savoia family (end of the 12th century). The territory remained under this family until it was annexed to the new born Reign of Italy in 1860.