Helvetia is the Roman name for an ancient region of central Europe occupying a plateau between the Alps and the Jura Mountains. Helvetia corresponded roughly to the western part of modern Switzerland, and the name is still used poetically.
In the first century BC, a Celtic group known as the Helvetii migrated from Southern Germany to Switzerland. Eventually, they came up against the Romans. They were pushed back into Switzerland by Caesar's army in 58 BC. The Roman Empire founded its province of Helvetia in current Switzerland in 15 BC.
Helvetia was a peaceful and prosperous region for many years. Then, in AD 260, the Germans invaded and the Romans retreated. Helvetia passed hands between the Franks and the Germans for many years until the Swiss Confederation was founded on August 1, 1291.
Switzerland continues to use the name in its Latin form when it is inappropriate or inconvenient to use any or all of its four official languages. Thus, the name appears on postage stamps, coins and other uses.
(source: Wikipedia)
4 comments:
Those Germans! Genetic history is pretty interesting. Thanks for the history lesson. May peace find a way.
So, whereja git 'da stamp, huh?
I have a lot of stamps from "Helvetia" from my old collection as a kid. Don't know where they came from but they sure beat the huge quantity I have of official looking men and government buildings. Just don't have the holiday feel if you know what I mean.
One of the fun parts of stamp collecting is seeing what each country chooses to "celebrate" w/ their stamps. To show it's personality on an international stage so to speak. You're choosing well!
Leave the men and buildings for the historical retrospective along w/ all the United Nations stamps from the 50s. Uggggh.
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