Rodez, Diocese of. — A city and diocese in the department of Aveyron (France). The diocese extends over the ancient region of Rouergue and the present department of Aveyron. It covers an area of 8,743 sq. km., with a population of 507,000 Catholics distributed among 650 parishes, served by 908 diocesan priests and 27 regular clergy; it has a major seminary and 4 minor seminaries; 8 male and 35 female religious communities (Ann. Pont. 1952, p. 240).
Rodez was the provincial capital from Gallo-Roman times as the chief town of the *civitas Rutenorum*, which belonged to Aquitania. There is no doubt that its role as a metropolis dates back to the Gallic period, since it was at the center of the land of the free Ruteni, who resisted Caesar even after Alesia (the provincial Ruteni,