The Roman consul Spurius Postumius Albinus Magnus had the Via Postumia built in 148 BC. The Roman road connected Genoa with Tortona, Piacenza, and Cremona. At Calvatone (known as Bedriacum in Roman times) the road forked and the northern branch went to Verona while the southern branch went to Mantua. During the French Revolutionary Wars the Bocchetta Pass was located in territory belonging to the Republic of Genoa. Its north side was guarded by the fortress of Gavi.