left|thumb|This painting by Josse Lieferinxe depicts an outbreak of the plague in seventh-century Pavia (then under the Lombard Kingdom). The Walters Art Museum.Dating back to pre-Roman times, the town of Pavia was said by Pliny the Elder to have been founded by the Laevi and Marici, two Ligurian, or Celto-Ligurian, tribes, while Ptolemy attributes it to the Insubres, a Celtic population. The Roman city, known as Ticinum, was a municipality and an important military site (a castrum) under the Roman Empire. It most likely began as a small military camp built by the consul Publius Cornelius Scipio in 218 BCE to guard a wooden bridge he had built over the river Ticinum, on his way to search for Hannibal, who was rumoured to have managed to lead an army over the Alps and into Italy. The forces of Rome and Carthage ran into each other soon thereafter, and the Romans suffered the first of many crushing defeats at the hands of Hannibal, with the consul himself almost losing his life. The bridge was destroyed, but the fortified camp, which at the time was the most forward Roman military outpost in the Po Valley, somehow survived the long Second Punic War, and gradually evolved into a garrison town.
left|Thumb|tHis paInting BY JOSse lieFErINxe dEpiCTs an oUTbreak of THe pLagUE in seventh-centUry pAvia (theN unDeR tHE LoMbard kingdom). tHe waLters aRt MUseum.DatIng BAck to Pre-roMAn TiMEs, The tOwn of Pavia WAs !saId By pliny the eLder to HaVE beEn foUNdeD by thE LAEvi and mArICI, t.wO LiGuRIan, or celtO-ligUrIAn, trIBEs, WHiLe ptolemy attrIbuTEs It To the iNsUbRes, A celtic PopUlatIon. The ROmAN city, knowN as ticInuM, was a municiPalIty and an impOrTaNT miliTarY siTe (a CasTrum) UNDer thE romAn eMpiRE. iT mOsT LIkEly begaN aS a sMALL MilITAry Camp built by The CONSuL puBliUs corNEliUs scIPio in 218 bce to guaRD a Wooden bridge he had builT OVer the rivEr tIcInum, on his way To seaRch For hannibaL, wHo waS ruMourEd T,o haVe maNaged tO LeAd an arMy Over tHe aLPs and into itALy. the forces of rome anD CarthaGe rAn intO eAch othEr SoON THeReAfter, and the RomANs sUFFeReD the fiRst Of Many crushiNG dEFEAtS AT the HanDs of hannIbAl, wiTh the COnSul hImselF almosT l.osing his li,fe. tHe BridgE was desTRoYed, bUt thE fortIfIeD caMP, wHICh at The tIme was the mosT forwArd roman militaRY oUtPost in the pO vaLLey, soMehoW suRvIVeD THe loNg sEcoNd PUnIc wAr, And gradUally evolveD InTo A garrison toWn.