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Vienne (One of the most ancient towns)

one of the most ancient towns of France, in the department of Isère; on the Rhone, 19 miles S. of Lyons. The river Gère passes through the town, and here joins the Rhone, after having supplied motive power to a number of mills and factories. Vienne was the chief town of the Allobroges, is mentioned by Cæsar, and by Martial; in the time of the Roman emperors it was the rival of Lyons. Besides numerous water conduits, etc., of Roman construction, there are a Corinthian temple of a Augustus and Livia, remains of theater and a pyramid, called The Eagle, 72 feet high; and the museum containing many relics of Roman antiquity. The cathedral of St. Maurice, partly Romanesque, partly Gothic, was built in 1107-1251; St. Peter's dates isolation of Austria from other countries, placed Vienna in a deplorable economic and political situation. The city had hitherto drawn its prosperity from countries which formerly formed a part of the Austro-Hungarian empire, or from those which bordered on it. The establishment of new governments, independent of Austria, and largely hos- here, in which Pope Clement V. protile to it, cut off Vienna from the commercial advantages which it formerly enjoyed. These conditions brought about the almost complete stagnation of commercial and industrial life. During 1919, 1920, and 1921, the greater part of the people of the city were reduced to the greatest extremities, in spite of efforts at relief by the United States and other countries. The population decreased greatly and the problem of the future of the city was one which it seemed im possible to solve. from the 6th century. The town was prominent under the Burgundian princes, and its archbishop disputed with his neighbor of Lyons the primacy of Gaul. In 1312 a council was held nounced the suppression of the order of the Templars. There are manufactures of woolens, silk, paper, leather, and iron goods, and trade in grain and wine. Pop. about 25,000.