For other uses of the word, see Helvetia (disambiguation).

Helvetia on a 25 centime Swiss postage stamp, 1881

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 Romans founded their province of Helvetia in current Switzerland in 15 BC.

Helvetia was a peaceful and prosporous region for many years. Then, in 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.

Resources

• http://www.myswissalps.com/index.asp?Page=switzerland-history
• http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=helvetia&r=67
• http://desktoppub.about.com/cs/fonts/f/helvetica_where.htm