Ancient kingdom and Roman province, west-central Europe.
It was located roughly south of the Danube River and north of modern Italy. Originally controlled by a Celtic confederacy, it was annexed by Augustus с 15 BC. Its rich iron and gold mines were worked by the Romans. Latin inscriptions on coins indicate a Romanized culture. Emperor Claudius enhanced the significance of several of Noricum's towns and recruited soldiers from the area for the Praetorian Guard с AD 50. The Frank s settled there by the end of the 5th century AD.